Commissioner Diaz calls for rental assistance in next stimulus bill

MIAMI-DADE – Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is sponsoring a resolution urging the United States Congress to include funding for rental assistance in the next coronavirus stimulus package in order to help renters experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 state of emergency.

The resolution is scheduled for consideration by the County Commission at its May 19 meeting, which will be held online beginning at 9:30 a.m. Residents wishing to attend the meeting virtually can register at miamidade.live/BCCMeeting. The meeting also will be carried live on Miami-Dade TV and at miamidade.gov/webcasting.

Although the recent CARES Act provided all eligible Americans with a stimulus payment and placed a 120-day moratorium on rental evictions, it is projected that many renters may not be able to afford to pay their accrued rent at the conclusion of the moratorium as a result of job loss, reduced work hours, furloughs or illness.

“Even before COVID-19, renters in Miami-Dade County were already struggling financially due to the housing affordability crisis, so without this rental assistance, many residents could end up in very dire straits through no fault of their own,” Commissioner Diaz said.