DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – Several tenants at an apartment complex in Deerfield Beach were shocked when they found eviction notices at their doors.
The eviction notices were posted at the Tivoli Park apartments. The notices came despite the fact that Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis placed a temporary hold on all evictions. A resident Local 10 spoke to didn’t want her name used or her face shown because she’s concerned about what may happen if her identity is revealed. She told Local 10 she called the apartment complex’s leasing office and they explained to her that it was “legal protocol.”
They told the tenant that is "something that they do in these situations."
She said she was given 45 days to pay that rent or get out of her apartment.
On Thursday, April 2, DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-94, a Mortgage Foreclosure and Eviction Relief order. The order suspends mortgage foreclosures and evictions due to a lack of payment for the next 45 days.
DeSantis wrote in the order: "Please note, individuals are still encouraged to make payments if they are capable of doing so as this order does not relieve persons from making payments."
Almost a third of apartment tenants couldn’t pay rent this month as economic hardships from the coronavirus took their toll. That number is up from just 19 percent in March.