Commissioner Eileen Higgins’ legislation to increase the notification period for evictions was approved by the Board of County Commissioners

MIAMI-DADE – Today (Jan. 20), the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved legislation sponsored by Commissioner Eileen Higgins, District 5, that increases the notification period for the termination of month-to-month residential tenancies across Miami-Dade County. The legislation extends the notification requirement from 15 days to no less than 30 days.

“COVID-19 has resulted in a housing crisis nationwide – thousands of households in Miami-Dade have struggled to pay rent,” said Commissioner Eileen Higgins. “Even though the landlord-tenant law is governed by the state, we identified a narrow sliver where we could take immediate action at the local level. This is a small step forward, but it will at least give residents caught in this position a couple more weeks to find a new place and keep a roof over their heads.”

Chapter 83 of Florida Statutes, also known as the “Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act,” applies to the rental of residential dwelling units and sets forth the rights and duties of landlords and tenants. The act states that when tenancy is month-to-month, it may be terminated by giving no less than 15 days’ notice.

The moratorium from the latest Congressional COVID bill applies only to the units covered by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). But there are many renters who are not covered by the CARES Act who have lost or will lose their jobs and face imminent eviction.

Annie Lord, Executive Director of Miami Homes for All said, “Thank you to Commissioner Higgins and the Board of County Commissioners for passing this item today. We knew before the pandemic that 250,000 households in Miami-Dade County were already struggling to afford their rent and mortgage – COVID-19 has only exacerbated this issue. Passing this ordinance to expand the notice periods in Miami-Dade from 15 to 30 days not only creates a consistent policy across the County for both renters and landlords, but is a critical step in preventing a mass eviction crisis once moratoriums expire.”

For more information, please contact Francis Izquierdo, Communications Coordinator for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, at [email protected] or 786-498-5003.