The Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a new COVID-19 Eviction Diversion Program during their meeting on Tuesday as a means of relief for Orange County residents facing eviction due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Eviction Diversion Program will put $20 million in federal and state CARES Act money toward rent assistance. The program launches Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Tenants will be eligible for up to $4,000 in rent relief – with the landlord agreeing to waive the remainder (if applicable) – covering the period from April 1 to Sept. 1. Applicants must be at least two months behind on their rent at the time of completing the forms.
The program will allot $11 million for very low income applicants, $8 million for low income applicants, and $1 million for moderate income applicants.
There’s a bit of a catch in that both the applicant and their landlord must agree to the terms and fill out the applications to be considered eligible. However, either the tenant or the landlord can start the application process.
“COVID-19 adds a lot of stress to our lives. One thing I don’t want our Orange County residents to worry about is being evicted from their homes,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings in a news release.
More information and applications can be found here.
_
Please follow CDC guidelines and Orange County advisories to stay safe, and please support this free publication. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you news on how coronavirus is affecting Central Florida. Please consider making a one-time or monthly donation. Every little bit helps.
Related Stories
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2020.