The Miami City Commission voted unanimously to approve $6.9 million in rent and utility assistance for low-income residents who recently lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent contractors such as realtors are not eligible for the loans, neither are those receiving rental subsidies or are behind on their payments. Those eligible for the payments are one-person households earning less than $38,400 per year, two-person households earning less than $43,920 per year, three-person households earning less than $49,380 per year, and four-person households earning less than $54,840 per year. The $6.9 million which was approved also includes $2 million in federal and state grand money for households which earn less than 60% of the Miami-Dade County median income. Each eligible household will be limited to receive a maximum of $1,500 and applicants must show proof that they have los their jobs after March 1 and have paid rent through February 2020. The payments will be sent directly to landlords and utility companies. The funds will only be available until enough applications have been received to deplete the available funding and the application period ends at 5 P.M. on May 8.

Miami has been in an affordable housing crisis due to rapidly rising rents and property values. 35.4% of city residents reportedly spend more than 50% of their household income on their housing. On April 2 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order which barred evictions and foreclosures for 45 days, but it is expected that there will be mass eviction cases filed due to unpaid rent when the order expires.