ORLANDO, Fla. – The pandemic has left many out of work and struggling to pay rent and court filings for evictions continue to rise, records show.
Andrea Picarelli was in a similar position. The rent on the three-bedroom home in Orlando, that she shares with her mother, was about to go up by 20%.
The two live on disability benefits and their fixed income would not be enough to cover the increase. “I guess the best way to put it is being priced out of your home,” Picarelli said. “I was like, ‘oh no, we’re going to end up homeless or starving and only allowed to have one meal a day.’” Picarelli said she tried to find other housing but poor credit from a past relationship meant her options were limited. “I looked around for other rentals that