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A Look At First Coast Renters' Rights During COVID-19

Ability Housing
Jacksonville's Mayfair Village apartment complex is pictured.

The economic shutdown enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus means people who haven’t been able to pay their rent or make their house payments could be facing eviction.

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid recently put together an information graphic for Duval County residents that explains their housing rights during the pandemic.

Mary DeVries with the Legal Aid office in Clay County said it’s meant to ease people’s fear of getting kicked out of their homes before they can get back on their feet. 

Related: Local, State, And National Coronavirus Coverage

According to DeVries, Florida eviction lawsuits relating to COVID-19 can’t be filed until May 18, due to the moratorium imposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“Some tenants may have additional protections under the Federal Cares Act, which would limit evictions for non-payment until July 25,” she said

Similar infographics for Clay, Nassau, St. Johns, Baker and Bradford counties are in the works.

She said the reason for the various counties and judicial circuits doing separate graphics is they may have put their own procedures in place in addition to the state and federal restrictions that apply. 

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Information Graphic

Credit Jacksonville Legal Aid

Contact reporter Cyd Hoskinson at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 and on Twitter at @cydwjctnews.

Cyd Hoskinson began working at WJCT on Valentine’s Day 2011.