Coronavirus spotlighted Floridaâs eviction law. Are changes coming?
The pandemic caused more people, including lawmakers, to take stock of ways the law leaves some renters vulnerable.
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Daniel Santisteban sits on his couch in his apartment, in a bad state of disrepair. He withheld rent payments to the landlord because of the maintenance problems but is now being evicted, Tuesday, April 6, 2021 in Tampa. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]
TAMPA â Daniel Santisteban, 71,
had to go to the bathroom in a trash can or a nearby gas station for months while his toilet stopped flushing, but that hasnât kept him from trying to keep his apartment as homey as he can.
Pinellas residents can get free legal help to avoid evictions
Local residents prepare for evictions as moratorium ends soon
and last updated 2020-12-23 19:25:52-05
The CDC s eviction moratorium is set to expire on December 31. A group of Pinellas County lawyers have been racing against the clock to make sure several families don t end up on the streets.
Back in October, the Community Law Program started the Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program. They bulked up their team to handle the influx of evictions that were starting to pile up. In November, CLP lawyers helped 99 families avoid evictions. It has been extremely satisfying, Atty. Mercy Roberg said. I go home every day from this job exhausted, but there are three to four wins a day and in these times, it just makes you feel so great.