A new report finds 15.6% of Florida’s renting households are at risk of eviction in the next two months.That compares to a national risk of eviction rate of 8.4%, according to AdvisorSmith, a small business research website.
Only South Carolina had a higher risk, at 21.1%. AdvisorSmith looked at U.S. Census data and then calculated the percentage of households that are behind on their rent payments, which was combined with data on the percentage of late-paying households that expect to be evicted in the next two months.
Of all rental households in Florida, 20.2% were behind on their rent payments. Nationwide, 17.1% of households were behind on their rent.
Of the Florida rental households behind on their rent payments, 77.5% were at risk of eviction within the next two months.
The national moratorium against evictions is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.
In Jacksonville, the City Council unanimously approved more than $5.1 million for an eviction and foreclosure prevention program in October to help families having trouble pay the rent due to coronavirus-induced hardships.
The program, funded by CARES Act money, provides grants of up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for businesses facing eviction or foreclosure because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Among other eligibility requirements, applicants must be able to provide the following documents:
Residential
- Identification for all household members
- A copy of the lease or mortgage
- Proof of the ability to make payments of 60 days of rent or mortgage
- A notice from the landlord or mortgagee of pending eviction or foreclosure (if applicable)
Commercial
- A copy of the lease or mortgage
- The landlord or mortgagee's W-9
- Proof of a reduction in income, staffing or employee hours of at least 20%
- A copy of the current Duval County occupational license
- Proof of the ability to make payments of 60 days of rent or mortgage
- A notice from the landlord or mortgagee of pending eviction or foreclosure (if applicable)
Applications are being accepted at JacksonvilleCares.com.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
