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Miami-Dade suspends evictions due to coronavirus
Commissioner is proposing to halt cutting off water service to non-paying customers
Miami-Dade suspended all eviction activities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The county’s police department announced it would not assist with evictions now that Miami-Dade County is under a state of emergency. Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who self-isolated after a meeting with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s aide, declared the state of emergency on Wednesday. Gimenez tested negative for coronavirus according to news reports.
Police spokesperson Alvaro Zabaleta told the Miami Herald that “the only ones that can follow through on eviction orders is us” and that moving forward, eviction orders will not be processed until further notice.
On Thursday, Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez announced he requested the county draft a resolution to halt cutting off water service to residents who have not paid their bills.
Ahead of Hurricane Dorian, Miami-Dade police helped evict a 75-year-old woman from her apartment in South Beach last year, a move that sparked outrage. Gimenez said after that the eviction was a mistake, the Herald reported. After the hurricane, Miami Beach resident and Florida Rep. Michael Grieco proposed passing a state bill that would halt eviction proceedings during a state of emergency.
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders also called for an “immediate moratorium on evictions, foreclosures and on utility shut-offs” in light of the spread of coronavirus. [Miami Herald] – Katherine Kallergis