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Jax Attorney's Office Offering Evictions Help

For rent sign
Jeff Chiu
/
Associated Press
File photo

People who’ve fallen behind on their rent have a little more time in their homes, since a federal eviction moratorium has been extended to the end of January.

The COVID-19 relief package last September included a nationwide moratorium on evictions and it’s been extended to January 31.  

To be protected, renters have to sign a declaration and give it to their landlord.  That’s a process that Jacksonville’s Three Rivers Legal Services attorney Glorian Maziarka helps people with. 

“Informing and educating people about the CDC moratorium, check on their eligibility, and explain to them the types of evictions that do not qualify under the CDC because the CDC moratorium only applies for non payment of rent,” is how she summed up the help callers will receive.

Maziarka is seeing an uptick in evictions being filed, but judges seem to be pushing back on landlords, she said. “A lot of landlords are filing motions to, you know, battle the declaration or try to contest the declaration, or trying to challenge the language of the declaration, adding, "I haven't seen any orders favor the landlords."

Three Rivers legal services gives assistance in english or spanish through their helpline at 1-866-256-8091 or website.

Michelle Corum can be reached at mcorum@wjct.org, 904-358-6308 or on Twitter at @MCorumonME.

Michelle Corum joined WJCT as "Morning Edition" host in 2012 and has worked in public broadcasting as an announcer and reporter for public radio stations in Lawrence, Kansas, and Interlochen, Michigan. She also manages WJCT's Radio Reading Service for sight-impaired listeners.