Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Issues Final Eviction Moratorium Extension
On June 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its final extension to the eviction moratorium.
What does this mean exactly? This one-month extension essentially upholds the current status quo of the restriction against the right to evict nonpaying tenants from properties through July 31, 2021. Although this extension is disappointing, FAA members are encouraged to pursue local and state rental assistance funds to assist residents in need.
OUR Florida Rental Assistance Program
The OUR Florida Rental Assistance program is a rental assistance program overseen by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Funding for this program was provided by the Department of Treasury through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Recently, OUR Florida uploaded new resources to help landlords with the rental assistance application process:
1. A Landlord Checklist, which outlines the documents landlords will need to complete the application process
2. A Landlord Property Manager Certification, which provides an alternative means for property managers to provide supporting documentation needed to complete the application process
These resources can be found on the Our Florida Landlords/Property Owners portion of the website here.
Local Rental Assistance Programs
In addition to the state’s rental assistance program, there are local rental assistance programs through many municipalities and county governments. In many cases these programs still have funding available to assist residents in need.
In an effort to help FAA members keep track of the various local rental assistance programs, FAA has created a Rent Relief Tracker with helpful information and links to local programs. It is important to keep in mind that residents in need can receive assistance from the state’s OUR Florida Program and local rental assistance programs. However, the funding from both programs cannot overlap. For example, if a resident received local rental assistance funds for the month of March, the same resident could not seek assistance from the OUR Florida Program for the month of March but may be eligible for other months not covered by the local program. The OUR Florida Program website addresses this topic in the FAQ section. An excerpt from the FAQ on this topic is below..
QUESTION:
If I have already received relief or assistance, can I still apply?
ANSWER:
If you have already received assistance through CARES Act, state and local relief funds or private, non-profit organizations, the rent or utility bills that were covered by these programs are not eligible for payments through OUR Florida. Outstanding rent and utility bills that were not covered by these programs may be eligible for support from OUR Florida.
FAA members with technical questions or application issues related to the OUR Florida program are encouraged to call the hotline at (833) 493-0594 for assistance.