The new federal eviction ban is in place, but many evictions are still being enforced.
Broward County Sheriff’s Office has executed around 4,000 removal orders so far in 2021.
“A lot of people think they can’t be evicted well if you are doing all types of violations of your lease, of your homeowner’s associations, those kinds of things, you can get evicted for that all day long,” Broward County Sheriff’s Office Captain Roy Liddicott said.
Liddicott says his agency is executing around 500 evictions a month.
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In Broward County when an eviction takes place, a notice is posted at the home 24 hours before the scheduled eviction. Deputies will ask the tenant to leave the property on the day of the scheduled eviction.
The tenant and landlord must then make arrangements to remove remaining personal property from the home.
Unlike Broward County, Miami-Dade County stopped executing evictions for months during the pandemic. They are now executing residential removal orders and have reported a spike. In January, just 3 executed removal orders were reported compared to more than 500 in May.
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But for those who qualify, the new CDC moratorium is offering some protections until October 3rd.
“You have to be in an area that is impacted by COVID, either high or substantial transmission rates. Right now that covers the entire state of Florida,” Community Justice Project Attorney Alana Greer said.
The new order applies to counties experiencing “High” levels of COVID-19 community transmission. The CDC website keeps track of community transmission county by county.
To qualify you must give your landlord a CDC declaration but if community transmission drops for 14 consecutive days then the order no longer applies in your county.
If this happens, Greer says, tenants previously protected could be evicted.
“I wish these rules were clearer, we all do, but that is why it is so important that our local leaders take additional action, the CDC moratorium can help many people but it is not enough, we need clear concise rules, that keep people housed during this crisis and beyond,” Greer said.
The previous eviction ban expired at the end of July.
If you were evicted between August 1st and August 3rd when the new order went into effect, you can not return to your home or undo the eviction.
If you gave your landlord a CDC declaration under the previous order, you are still protected and do not need to complete a new declaration.
