ORLANDO, Fla. — Furloughed from her job as a Disney cast member in early April, 23-year-old Kayleigh Thurwalker is not sure she’ll be able to stay in her Lake County apartment much longer.
What You Need To Know
- For a 3rd time, Gov. DeSantis extended the state's eviction moratorium
- For now, evictions in Florida cannot be enforced until August 1
- RELATED: As Florida's Moratorium Extends, Evictions Loom
“Now it's at the point where ... we owe a lot for it, which is not good,” Thurwalker said.
Although Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 30 extended Florida’s eviction moratorium for a third time, many Central Florida renters still feel left in the lurch. The eviction freeze has been extended by just one more month, leaving many questions as to how tenants will be able to pay the rent payments they’ve missed as a result of COVID-19.
For Thurwalker, it’s overwhelming, especially since this is her first time really living on her own. She’s far away from her family, who lives in Chicago.
Thurwalker has tried to seek help from the government. But like many Floridians, her attempts to access the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s unemployment portal have all failed.
“I’ve been ‘pending’ since April 19,” Thurwalker said. “I’ve tried calling, emailing, and still nothing.”
Now it’s July 1, and rent is due.
“I never want to be that person ... but now it’s come to the point where we don’t know if we’re going to have (help), which is sad,” Thurwalker said.
Thurwalker said she’s heard from Disney that she should be starting work again soon, but she has yet to see her name on the schedule.
Despite the challenge of not knowing when she’ll be back at work, Thurwalker is trying to use this time of hardship as a chance to grow.
“My main goal eventually in Disney is to move up,” Thurwalker said.
She said these hard times are motivating her to go after that goal “even harder.”
Although evictions now cannot be enforced until August 1, eviction petitions may still be signed and filed across the state.
Molly Duerig is a Report for America corps member who is covering Affordable Housing for Spectrum News 13. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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