Authorities in Miami-Dade County announced on Thursday that they are suspending eviction activities — a decision that follows Mayor Carlos Gimenez declaring a state of emergency.
Miami-Dade police announced that they had “temporarily suspended all eviction activities until further notice” as Gimenez declared a state of emergency this week.
“The only ones that can follow through on eviction orders is us,” police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said, according to the Miami Herald. “From this point forward, those papers and those orders will not be processed.”
Gimenez has also ordered the cancellation of large gatherings.
“Although we do not have community spread at this time, we want to take the preemptive steps to keep it that way,” Gimenez said in a statement.
“Therefore, I have decided to suspend the operation of the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair, the Miami Open tennis tournament, the MIA 5K run, and all major events at the American Airlines Arena,” he continued.
“As we move forward together during this time, we will continue to monitor what the World Health Organization has determined is a global pandemic,” he added. “We will constantly evaluate planned mass gatherings as the situation evolves.”
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) confirmed Miami-Dade’s first cast of the Wuhan virus on Wednesday. It is believed to be a travel-related case. As of Friday, the department listed 45 confirmed cases of the virus across the Sunshine State:
The Florida Department of Health has announced 15 new positive Florida #COVID19 cases. All individuals are being appropriately cared for and isolated. Visit https://t.co/e1S8bGG26U for more information and #COVID19 updates.
— Florida Dept. Health (@HealthyFla) March 13, 2020
DOH has announced one additional positive case of COVID-19, bringing the total confirmed new cases for March 12th to 17 individuals who tested positive for #COVID19. All individuals are being appropriately cared for & isolated. Visit https://t.co/e1S8bGG26U for more information.
— Florida Dept. Health (@HealthyFla) March 13, 2020
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) praised the decision to halt evictions and called for authorities to implement the practice nationwide:
Suspend evictions nationwide! https://t.co/Yg8NIDedaG
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 12, 2020
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has also called for a freeze on evictions, as well as a “no-strings” Universal Basic Income (UBI) program:
Some are taking about ⬆️unemployment insurance, & while good it’s not nearly enough. There are enormous sectors of our economy (tipped workers, freelance, shift workers) who may not be “unemployed” but whose lives are still dramatically disrupted to the point of eviction, etc
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 12, 2020
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