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It’s been 15 months since evictions were legal in the United States. As of Sunday, they are again. While eviction-related stories are generally centered around the potential loss of a family’s home, and make no mistake there are likely to be many truly sad stories that emerge, evictions are a necessary part of the real estate market.
It’s simply not sustainable or fair to have landlords forego receiving proceeds for the use of their property. Property taxes didn’t get a mortarium, nor did the bills and obligations of property owners. Additionally, with more job openings in Florida than Floridians currently seeking work, opportunity abounds for those who need work to be able to pay the rent.
That being said, hundreds of thousands of evictions are about to begin...or are they? According to the most recent estimates by Zillow, Floridians have been making progress. In June, over 400,000 renters were delinquent. Most recently that number has dropped to 357,194. A combination of plentiful jobs and the awareness of the moratorium on evictions ending likely played a role.
To that end, Zillow projects the overwhelming majority of those currently delinquent will be able to catch up and stay in their homes. Of the greater than 357,000 Floridians currently behind on payments, Zillow expects only 12,376 actual evictions will occur. Part of that projection is based on the federal money Florida has and will continue to receive to aid with missed rent payments for those who’re in distress. To date, only 2% of the $870 million Florida has on hand to assist with delinquent renters has been allocated. Additionally, more federal money is on the way and will total over $1.5 billion when all is said and done.
For renters who are in distress, the state’s program is being administered through a program called Our Florida and you may apply online for rental assistance.