DeSantis extends eviction and foreclosure moratorium until Sept. 1

DeSantis extends eviction and foreclosure moratorium until Sept. 1

By DAVID LYONS and BROOKE BAITINGER

SUN SENTINEL | https://www.sun-sentinel.com/

JUL 30, 2020 AT 12:12 PM

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis didn’t wait until the final hours to extend the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures this time around.

The governor on Wednesday night extended his executive order until Sept. 1 in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic that has wreaked havoc on the economy, two days before it would have expired.

Last month, the governor waited until four hours before it was set to expire before extending it.

Without the moratorium, thousands of Floridians could have become homeless in days because landlords have been filing paperwork in court to evict non-paying tenants once the ban ends.

Advocates for low-wage tourism workers and others have been calling for the governor to extend the moratorium to prevent an avalanche of homelessness in Florida.

State Rep. Ana Eskamani, D-Orlando, in at tweet called the extension a “necessary step to protect thousands of Floridians from homelessness but we need a plan to ensure housing security for all during & after COVID19 pandemic. Living life month by month is not sustainable & we’ve outlined proposals to the (governor) already that he’s thus far ignored.”

As was the case last month, the governor issued the executive order without comment. On June 30, DeSantis ignored a question about the issue at a news conference in the daytime only to send out the order via email hours that night.

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The rent and foreclosure crisis is especially acute in Florida.