As Hurricane Ian draws nearer, Senate hopeful and current Congresswoman, Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) is looking out for those who might be displaced due to the storm. Today, Demings introduced the Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act, which looks to shield Floridians from evictions and foreclosures.
“Congress needs to pass my legislation to save Florida families from evictions and foreclosures during and after natural disasters like Hurricane Ian,” said Demings. “We can’t let Florida families lose their homes due to emergencies outside of their control. As the daughter of a maid and a janitor I saw how hard my parents worked for their home and their property. We must defend hardworking Florida families.”
In the past during catastrophic hurricanes, there have been instances of increases in crime due to scarcity. In cases of natural disasters, some Floridians have had to struggle to survive when the going gets tough and housing is a major factor in that equation.
Shamus Roller, the Executive Director for the National Housing Law Project stated, “Representative Demings’ bill, the Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act, will trigger immediate action to prevent evictions in any future local, state, or national emergencies; preventing millions of homes lost, excessive homelessness following a crisis, and significant economic devastation to the housing market.”
The bill looks to provide a sense of security and stability to renters and homeowners when natural disasters are declared by the federal government. In this scenario, an eviction moratorium would be placed, allowing 6 months of leeway for homeowners and 90 days for renters to make their payments.
For more updates regarding Hurricane Ian and the updates from Florida’s elected officials, The Floridian has you covered.
