TAMPA, Fla. - With Hurricane Ian sweeping through Florida, 63-year-old Kenny Lofton faced two equally awful scenarios on Wednesday : being evicted from his apartment by his landlord or being evicted by the storm.
Lofton said he knew that staying put could be dangerous but he feared leaving his apartment in North Tampa for a shelter because he might not have a home to come back to when the hurricane ends.
Lofton told NBC News that he was home packing his belongings. I don't know where to go. Lofton is one of the more than 2 million people in Florida who were asked to pack up and evacuate before Hurricane Ian made landfall south of Tampa. He is facing eviction Friday because of rising prices, his government housing assistance is no longer enough to pay the rent.
When asked if he was looking for a new apartment, I m trying to find something at this moment, Lofton said. It is kind of hard right now, but I'm hanging in there. Lofton is not alone. Thousands of Floridians, many of whom have been struggling to stay in their homes due to the rise in rents in recent years, have been struggling to stay in their homes.
The demand for affordable housing in cities like Tampa is high, but the supply is limited.
Earlier this week, Rep. Val Demings, a Democrat from Orlando who is running for the U.S. Senate, called for Congress to pass the Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act to protect Floridians from foreclosures and evictions during and after natural disasters like the impending Hurricane Ian. Disasters happen, Demings said. Evictions don't need to be made during a disaster. We should not allow Americans to go homeless because of financial distress during an emergency. A former chef who has a medical condition that makes it hard for him to work, Lofton received a monthly federal check for $1,178 that is used to cover rent, utilities, groceries, and other bills.
The rent on his apartment in Mirela North complex that has been his home for four years went up in May to $1,200, from $980. He was told that the complex would no longer accept Section 8 federal housing vouchers.
HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said recently that one of the reasons why housing voucher holders are unable to use their vouchers is because the value of their vouchers has not kept up with rapid rent increases.
Lofton said he received multiple extensions from the landlord during which he tried to find another place to rent. He said he has no wife or children and not much in the way of family.
He has three days left to leave his apartment.
Lofton said something. There was no answer when NBC News called the Mirela management office to see if they still intend to evict Lofton on Friday.
Lofton said he woke up Wednesday and thanked God for another day. He also prayed for a place to sleep during and after the storm.