To the Editor:
Despite opposition from PICO United Florida, clergy, and a broad coalition of consumer rights groups, the Florida House Civil Justice Subcommittee has advanced HB 87 by state Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, a harmful bill that expedites the foreclosure process and weakens the rights of defendants.
This bill will violate the due process of homeowners and unleash foreclosures, unfairly taking homes from Florida families. It was a bad bill last year and it is a bad bill this year. We will work tirelessly to defeat it as we did last year.
Our existing judicial foreclosure process protects the homeowner. HB 87 removes some of those rights under Florida law and is immoral. We are disappointed that the Civil Justice Subcommittee approved this unfair bill.
Specifically, HB 87 could expedite the foreclosure process and put homeowners at risk of not being able to adequately defend against a foreclosure. The bill allows the court to order that homeowners make monthly payments while in foreclosure or risk being immediately evicted.
The bill removes basic property rights protections by preventing a homeowner wrongfully foreclosed from seeking return of their home.
The Florida Legislature should be trying to help families stay in their homes. PICO United Florida believes current law, with adequate funding for our court system, remains the best course of action.
Peter Phillips
executive director
PICO United Florida
Naples
