New help hotline launches as state's eviction moratorium expires

North Carolina's statewide ban on evictions was lifted Monday. This means many people, who have struggled to pay their rent during the pandemic, could face other challenges.

Posted 11:54 p.m. Jun 22, 2020 — Updated 12:27 p.m. Jun 23, 2020

Lora Lavigne

, WRAL Durham reporter

DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina's statewide ban on evictions was lifted Monday. This means many people who have struggled to pay their rent during the pandemic could face other challenges.

According to Siembra NC, the Latinx community has been directly impacted by this issue.

As of June 16, Latinx North Carolinians made up 42% of all coronavirus cases in the state, and the vast majority of Latinx workers who get sick do not have access to paid time off or federal stimulus funds. A survey conducted by Siembra NC in May showed nearly half of all Spanish-speaking tenants were unable to pay their full rent in May. Siembra staff have been sent dozens of photos of letters from landlords to Latinx tenants demanding full payment and threatening eviction.

New hotline aims to help those at risk for eviction.

One day after the expiration of a statewide moratorium on eviction cases, legal aid workers at UNC’s Civil Legal Assistance Clinics received an influx of calls.

"Even though landlords were not technically supposed to be going forward with evictions up until now, some of them have," said Kathryn Sabbeth, the associate professor of law and clinic director.

Landlord misconduct and illegal evictions have several tenants frightened, she said. Most people are unaware that the CARES Act still protects some rental properties until July 25.

"Landlords are locking up the homes before going through the court process. Maybe the landlord is shutting off utilities or doing other things to get the tenant out of the home," she added.

So, how do you know if your dwelling qualifies under CARES, and how do you provide or demand that information in a court hearing? These questions are what inspired the launch of the new hotline.

"Evictions, especially in the immigrant or Latinx community who might not qualify for other federal aid, are a great public health risk at the moment," said Andreina Malk, a research fellow with Siembra.

Those battling possible homelessness can now text or call 919-590-9165 to receive free legal assistance. They’ll also receive an information packet. The goal is to help people better advocate for themselves in court.

"You know, if a person gets a Section 8 voucher, they know whether they get that voucher, but if their landlord’s property is covered by a federally backed mortgage, that’s not something we can expect a tenant to know," Sabbeth added.

During this pandemic, the Civil Legal Assistance Clinic at UNC School of Law is hoping landlords and tenants can work things out on their own with payment plans. However, if needed, the CARES Act Eviction Information Line is also working to help those in need of in-court representation.

Individuals seeking assistance from the CARES Act Eviction Information Line should send a text message with their full address, and property name if known, to the hotline: 919-590-9165. Tenants will then receive an information packet via both text message and U.S. Mail based on the research results for their property.

Information provided by hotline operators will include:

documents tenants can bring to court and can use to show judges how the law applies
a guide to requesting an interpreter in court
a guide to self-representation in an eviction proceeding
the actual language of the CARES Act eviction moratorium
a guide to CARES Act protections
short infographics designed for social media and WhatsApp groups

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