MIAMI – The eviction moratorium is coming to an end nationwide on Saturday, and residents across South Florida are worried about possible evictions.
However, a Miami-Dade County program is relaunching in order to assist these residents.
“I just think with this second wave and everything going on — what are we supposed to do?’” says Justin Skirzynski, a Miami resident worried about being evicted.
Skirzynski lives in Downtown Miami and is one of the thousands of South Floridians working, wondering, and waiting to see what happens come the first of the month.
”I’m back to figuring out where I’m going to live in the next two months,” he says. “It’s a shame because I know I’m not the only one struggling.”
This is why Miami-Dade County has relaunched their Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Friday. It’s aimed at helping residents with their rent and utilities.
“We have been very aggressive about getting these funds out,” says Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava. “We have spent about 60 percent of the dollars, which means we are on track to get even more money from the federal government to assist.”
Levine Cava says as of March, the county has been able to help about 3,500 families with rent. However, local experts say there are still hundreds of thousands in need of some sort of assistance.
Skirzynski says he is on his third apartment since the start of the pandemic, and he’s gotten no help.
Local 10 News alerted him about the program today, and now, he hopes he’ll lock in some assistance.
“The rental assistance info you have should be very useful, and helpful for me, and we’ll see what happens,” he says.
Miami-Dade County residents are encouraged to apply online by clicking here.
However, they may also pick up and drop off the completed application from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at either of the following two locations:
- Northern Miami-Dade County: Victory Homes 520 NW 75th Street Miami, FL 33150
- Southern Miami-Dade County: Homestead Gardens 1542 SW 4th Street Homestead, FL 33030
For more information about the program, click here. If you have any questions, please call (305) 723-1815, or, send an email to ERAP@miamidade.gov.