In the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many people who lost their jobs or fell on hard times and could not pay rent. Some continue to struggle.

Seminole County is urging residents who are behind on rent or mortgage payments to seek assistance following the end of the Centers for Disease Control's moratorium on evictions.

For many people, the past year with COVID-19 has brought some form of financial hardship. Jobs have been cut, businesses have suffered, and for service industry workers, their hours have been slashed or their responsibilities scaled back.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County is ending its eviction diversion program in February, making way for a new emergency rental assistance, or the ERA, program to take over in March. “Since our COVID-19 eviction diversion program launched six months ago, we have provided more than $11.2. “As of about midday today, 3,571 different individuals or households had benefited from our existing eviction diversion program.”On Monday, Orange County launched a new emergency rental assistance program. The county is earmarking $20 million for people at 50% of the area median income and $10 million for people at 80% of the area median income. The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association is offering housing clinics via telephone.

Ron DeSantis granted an extension Tuesday to the state's temporary ban on evictions and foreclosures. The executive order on the moratorium, which was set to expire July 1, now extends it until Aug. 1. With demand outpacing the organization's recovery fund, Hayward said he would like to see a plan from the community to help families in need. "We cannot just sit back and let the process play out without at least trying to help some families," he said. For further details about the United Way and how to help, visit https://www.hfuw.org/