DeSantis extends moratorium for evictions and foreclosures until August

Reporter: Taylor Petras
Published: Updated:
MGN

UPDATE: The Florida governor’s office confirms Tuesday Gov. Ron DeSantis has extended the moratorium for “Limited Extension of Mortgage Foreclosure and Eviction relief” until 12:01 a.m. August 1 with the signing of Executive Order 20-159.

This comes after the previous extension was set to expire July 1.

See the original story below and video above. 


Opinions mixed on extending order for evictions and foreclosures as Gov. DeSantis dodges the question

Governor DeSantis’ executive order on evictions and foreclosures will expire at midnight on Wednesday. The governor dodged the question Tuesday afternoon when asked if he would extend the order.

Two families, two very different stories surrounding Florida’s mortgage foreclosure and eviction relief executive order.

“At this point, it’s my kids,” said Alexx Thompson, getting emotional. In just hours, his family faces eviction after falling behind on rent.

“Back in March both of us lost our jobs. We had no wages to pay anything. We had to wait on the stimulus check for quite a while. When the stimulus check did come through, we paid March and April’s rent with it and that left us some for food and essentials,” he said.

As for property owner Jessica DeGaetani, she says, “I don’t know how much more I can take mentally,” as her tenants haven’t paid rent for months.

She claims COVID-19 never impacted their ability to pay, but she can’t kick them out.

“I would never want somebody who is actually in distress or actually in a financial situation because of COVID-19 not to be taken care of or taken seriously because they are suffering,” she said. “But that being said, that doesn’t excuse the people that are taking advantage of it.”

After paying thousands of dollars to cover her rental property bills, DeGaetani says she’s ready for the executive order to expire for good this time.

“How do you prepare financially or budget your money or do the things that you’re supposed to do to support yourself when you have no time frame of when this headache is supposed to end,” she asked.

Thompson says he just needs more time to make ends meet.

“I’m not asking for any leniency. I continue to pay my rent. I wish they would work with me or give me some time to bring me some extra money in,” he said. “I’ve got my kids asking me, ‘Where are we going to sleep?'”

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