Rep. Shevrin Jones Calls for Moratorium on Evictions and Utility Shut Offs During COVID-19 Crisis

WEST PARK — State Representative Shevrin Jones (HD-101) formally called for a moratorium on evictions and utility shut offs for all Florida residents during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

In a letter sent electronically to the Governor’s Office Monday, Jones stressed the importance of protecting Florida’s most vulnerable, noting that widespread economic uncertainty and insecurity — in addition to other factors such as physical ailments, age, lack of insurance and healthcare access, physical or mental disability, and housing insecurity — put many Floridians across the state at great risk.

Dear Governor DeSantis,

As we continue to address the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic, it is critical that we adjust our practices to protect our most vulnerable constituents. Our municipal, county, and state government will need to rapidly address social and economic concerns for our residents during this crisis. Many businesses will lay off workers, and many workers do not have the savings to withstand a lapse in income.

Prior to this outbreak, 40% of Americans could not afford a $400 emergency. That lack of economic protection is a vulnerability which may be accompanied by other factors such as physical ailments, age, lack of insurance, lack of access to affordable healthcare, physical or mental disability, housing insecurity, or numerous other impactful dynamics.

The United Way of Broward County provides information on Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households. These are households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county. Combined, the number of ALICE and poverty-level households equals the total population struggling to afford basic needs. The most recent data from 2016, indicated that Broward County’s population alone is 1,909,632 people with 681,474 households. ALICE households comprise 37% (state average is 32%) and poverty-level households comprise 13% (state average is 14%). Obviously, this data was generated at a certain point-in-time and there are fluctuations in circumstances however, this data provides context for the prior national statistic at our local level.

Because of this and in an effort to help our families locally and statewide, I am formally requesting your consideration, as a part of your Emergency Declaration, that you suspend utility shut offs for Florida residents at this time. Shutting off electricity and water during this time, based on an inability to pay, endangers the lives of our most vulnerable residents. Additionally, I am asking you to provide a moratorium and halt to any and all residential evictions as we monitor and work through this crisis. The people of Florida will suffer if these actions are not taken, and I urge you to have empathy for these people rather than penalize them for their economic state. Please do not hesitate to contact my office as we work together on this issue.

Sincerely,

Shevrin D. Jones

State Representative