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Hurricane Season 2022

Demings calls for Congress to protect Florida families from storm-related evictions

Introduced the bill to protect Americans from loss of housing during disasters like the impending Hurricane Ian

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Rep. Val Demings (FL-10) called on Congressional leaders to hold a vote to pass the Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act, legislation that she introduced to protect Floridians from foreclosures and evictions during and after natural disasters like the impending Hurricane Ian.

“Congress needs to pass my legislation to save Florida families from evictions and foreclosures during and after natural disasters like Hurricane Ian," Demings said. "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."

Rep. Val Demings
Rep. Val Demings

“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," said Shamus Roller, Executive Director for the National Housing Law Project. 

What will the Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act do?

This bill would provide stability for renters and homeowners during future federally declared natural disasters by implementing an eviction moratorium for all rental properties and a foreclosure moratorium on all federally backed mortgages during a federally declared disaster.

The moratoriums would be targeted, applying to just those jurisdictions covered by the federal disaster declaration. The moratorium would cover six months for homeowners. For renters, the moratorium would cover at least 90 days from the disaster declaration after a landlord receives federal disaster assistance or the expiration of federal disaster assistance eligibility for landlords.

Rep. Demings strongly supported the bipartisan infrastructure bill, a generational investment in Florida’s infrastructure, including $50 billion for storm resilience and weatherization. She cosponsored bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and ensure the stability and affordability of our nation’s flood insurance program.

Rep. Val Demings, Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act, Eviction, Foreclosure, Florida, Congress

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  • george2020

    As I read it here, this is not a good bill. I have seen both sides of this issue with covid moratoriums. The landlords need to be paid their rent money out of this program, i don't see that here. They still have property taxes to pay, maybe property taxes should be suspended as long as the moratorium on evictions is in place. The landlord will still have manintenance costs to pay and that rent money is needed to incure those expenses. On the other side, a renter whose job is closed or lost due to damages to a jobsite needs some protection and help. This bill looks like a pie in the sky promise that can fail many who fall in through the loopholes in it and will be disappointed when what they are hoping for does not happen.

    Thursday, October 13, 2022 Report this