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NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - The City of North Miami is offering some rent relief to residents who are having trouble paying their bills due to economic complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
7SkyForce HD flew over the government building at Northwest 15th Avenue and 135th Street where people lined up for hours to pick up an application at the Joe Celestine Community Center to possibly be selected for a relief program.
Residents arrived before sunrise Wednesday for a chance to get some assistance for up to two months of rent.
“Well, hopefully, they’ll try to get some relief, at least, with paying our rent,” resident Erica Medlar said. “I’ve been out of work since March 20, and it’s been a little difficult.”
Because of the amount of people who showed, not everyone received an application for the financial assistance.
“Because I can’t pay my rent — I got three months’ rent to pay. I’m not working, I lost my job — and that I got no choice, this thing will help us,” resident Pierre Moren said.
The city also approved a program to help residents pay their water bills.
There are also less opportunities for residents who are looking to land a job. Job-posting website Indeed said South Florida leads the nation in job posting losses.
Postings for new jobs in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area are down 51.9%.
Rick Beasley with CareerSource South Florida said there are IT, construction and security jobs open and up for grabs, but the lines of people needing help show the economy has been transformed.
“One job I saw the other day paid over a $100,000, so there are openings that we do have available,” Beasley said.
CareerSource South Florida receives government funding to help people file for unemployment, find a new job, get retrained for a new job. The company is now helping those job applicants get rent relief, as well.
Sara Bloom lost her job at a marketing firm in late March. She still has not received a penny in unemployment.
If she does not get a new job or help by June 1, she will no longer be able to rent a home for her and her two boys and will join her mother out west.
“Yeah, I’m angry. I’m angry. Thankfully, we received the stimulus check, but that’s the only income I’ve had,” she said. “I’m going to get in the car, and we’re going to drive to Colorado.”
The applications are due May 29, and applicants will be selected via a lottery system.
Click here to get redirected to CareerSource’s website.
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