Miami, FL
Facing eviction? Miami experts share tips to assert your tenants’ rights and fight it
The steep price to lease or purchase a house in Miami-Dade County has led to a spike in dwelling evictions.
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Many native residents are struggling to pay lease on time, and lots of others are going through eviction from their properties.
Listed below are suggestions for tenants who face displacement:
Know your rights as a tenant
Zaina Alsous, managing director of Miami Employees Heart, stated it is crucial for tenants to know their rights when coping with landlords. When you’re going through eviction and have questions, you possibly can electronic mail the employees middle for assist at information@miamiworkerscenter.org or name the company at (305) 759-8717.
“There are fairly just a few unlawful evictions that occur in Miami-Dade County,” Alsous stated. “If a landlord forces you out with out following the method of discover, like altering the locks on you with out going via with filings in court docket, you possibly can generally problem the validity of eviction and get it dismissed.”
Search authorized help
Solely 2% of tenants in eviction court docket include authorized illustration, whereas 90% of landlords have it, Alsous stated.
For tenants looking for authorized companies, Authorized Companies of Better Miami might be an possibility. The group may be reached on-line right here or by cellphone at (305) 576-0080. By the group, low-income residents can get free authorized help.
Apply for Miami-Dade County’s rental help program
Folks behind on lease can apply on-line right here to see in the event that they qualify for monetary assist.
“The County’s Rental Help Program nonetheless has cash accessible and now a separate program that’s only for individuals experiencing a rise within the lease, whether or not or not it’s leading to an eviction, or associated to COVID. That’s $13 million,” Alsous stated.
In her expertise working with tenants taking part in this system, it solely is efficient if tenants’ landlords additionally comply with take part.
Don’t vacate your property till you obtain a writ of possession
Tenants needs to be conscious they don’t have to maneuver out upon receiving a primary eviction discover.
“You don’t have to maneuver out till formally regulation enforcement involves implement a writ of possession,” Alsous stated. “Legislation enforcement provides you a 24-hour discover. You will have 24 hours to vacate. That’s while you’ll see these horrible scenes of individuals’s stuff being thrown out on the sidewalk. That’s the ultimate, traumatizing chapter.”