By: Sun Sentinel Editorial Board | Orlando Sentinel
Hours before a ban on residential evictions was due to expire last Monday at midnight, Gov. Ron DeSantis did the right thing and extended the moratorium for another 30 days.
The moratorium applies to people who can’t pay their rent or mortgage. It does not apply to commercial tenants, and never has. The ban is now set to expire at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1.
It’s unlikely the governor will grant another extension, though he should consider doing so at least until July 25, when a similar federal moratorium expires. The CARES Act protects people in housing secured by federally backed mortgages, about a third of all mortgages.
With the economy sputtering from the coronavirus shutdown, the governor is in a tough spot. He’s balancing the cries of unemployed Floridians who can’t afford to pay their rent or mortgage with the cries of landlords and lenders who can’t afford to pay their bills because tenants aren’t paying theirs.
Article last accessed on June 15, 2020 here. A print-ready version is available here.