Facing eviction? Help is available in the Triangle. Here’s what you need to know.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ended the federal moratorium on evictions and state-level protections ended in June, leaving many tenants in North Carolina who fell behind on rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic vulnerable to eviction.
An estimated 400,000 households in North Carolina have no confidence that they can pay the next month’s rent, according to a household pulse survey from the U.S. Census Bureau ending Aug. 16. The survey was based on a small sample size, so the actual number may be much different.
Are you one of those renters? Here’s what you need to know.
Where can I get assistance?
It depends where you live.
North Carolina’s statewide emergency rental assistance, the Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Eviction program, or HOPE, received $396 million for rental aid from the federal stimulus in December.
As of Sept. 1, HOPE had obligated $290 million to tenants and landlords. Once the program runs through that, it will get a portion of the $21.55 billion in assistance approved by Congress in March, leaving a large amount of funds available.
To apply for assistance, go to hope.nc.gov or call 888-927-5467.
But the HOPE program is only for renters in 88 of 100 counties. The 12 other counties, which met a population threshold, and five tribal governments received their own federal allocation and run their own programs.
Wake, Durham and Johnston counties have their own programs.
Wake County rental assistance
If you’re in Wake County, you can apply for help at housewake.org, by calling 919-899-9911 or by emailing housing@telamon.org.
As of the last week in July, Wake had spent $4.3 million of the $63 million it was allocated from December.
Durham County rental assistance
Tenants in Durham County can apply online at DurhamERAP.dconc.gov or by punching option 7 after calling 919-560-8000. You can also email durhamerap@dconc.gov.
Of the nearly $26 million the county got from the December aid, Durham had spend about $2.8 million, as of the last week in July.
Johnston County rental assistance
Johnston County hasn’t spent any of its $13 million in federal rental assistance as the program isn’t launching its online application portal until Tuesday, Sept. 7, according to an announcement from the county.
The county said tenants can visit the Department of Social Services at 714 North Street in Smithfield for help, or email dssassistance@johnstonnc.com. The department’s phone number is 919-989-5300.
All the programs cover for late utility bills as well.
Wake, Durham and Johnston counties will also have their own allocations from the $21.55 billion package from March.
Am I eligible?
U.S. Treasury Department guidelines for the assistance have a list of rules on who is eligible for the rental assistance.
For the HOPE program, you have to rent where you currently live, and you must have missed a rent payment since April 1, 2020.
You don’t have to currently be late on rent, as HOPE considers someone who has been late at some point since April 2020 at risk for eviction.
You also must have lost income, been unemployed or had a significant financial hardship due to the pandemic to qualify.
There’s also income eligibility. You must make 80% or below the area median income.
Go to bit.ly/3BwuJL6 to find the median income for your area.
Wake, Durham and Johnston counties largely have the same eligibility requirements.
The exception is that Wake is giving preference to those at 50% or below AMI.
Can landlords apply?
In Wake County, landlords can initiate the application process by filling out a form through the county.
Wake will then reach out to your tenant to guide them through the process.
The HOPE program has a similar system where landlords can refer their tenants to the state by calling.
HOPE will then reach out to tenants to assist with the application.
That could change though as a bill in the state legislature would allow landlords to apply on behalf of tenants through HOPE.
The head of the program, Laura Hogshead, said this would inadvertently cause administrative delays in the process, The News & Observer reported.
For those in other counties, landlords can encourage tenants to apply.
Where to get legal help with eviction
If an eviction has been filed against you, you can reach out to Legal Aid of North Carolina at 866-219-5262. You can also apply for Legal Aid’s assistance at legalaidnc.org/get-help/apply-online.
If your landlord doesn’t accept assistance through Wake’s program, the county is providing free legal services for tenants facing eviction.
If you are part of an agency that wants to refer a resident facing eviction in Durham, you can email the Durham Eviction Diversion Program at alexisc@legalaidnc.org.
Why did the eviction moratorium end?
The U.S. Supreme Court, in an unsigned opinion, struck down the federal moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It wasn’t scheduled to expire until Oct. 3.
In the 6-3 decision, the court ruled that the CDC exceeded its authority.
The CDC order, a modified form of the nationwide moratorium that lasted from last September until the end of July, barred evictions for nonpayment against people who have attested they have lost income due to the pandemic and are unable to pay rent.
The moratorium was also limited to counties with high or substantial spread of COVID-19. At the time the order was struck down, that included all of North Carolina, according to the CDC.
The order was first issued to prevent COVID-19 spread among displaced people. A study found that in North Carolina in summer 2020, when the state had no moratorium in effect, over 15,000 cases and 300 deaths were due to evictions, The News & Observer reported in December.
North Carolina did have its own moratorium that lasted from last October until the end of June.
But Republican members of the N.C. Council of State voted to end it, days before it expired, The News & Observer reported.
This story was originally published September 7, 2021 at 5:45 AM.