North Carolina Renters Fear Eviction As Federal Moratorium Ends

ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA — After four extensions and numerous challenges in court, the federal moratorium protecting North Carolina renters from eviction during the pandemic is set to expire in just a few days.

The moratorium, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officially ends July 31. The most recent extension was issued in June, and federal officials have indicated they have no plans to extend it again.

While some states, have given renters a few additional weeks of protection, millions remain worried about losing their homes. North Carolina's moratorium on evictions ended June 30.

One week before the federal moratorium ends at the end of this month, more than 1.4 million Americans are saying it’s very likely they’ll be evicted from their homes in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

On top of that, about 4.9 million renters say they have no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month, while 7.4 million are still trying to catch up on rent payments.

While the federal government has funneled more than $46 billion in assistance to the country’s renters during the course of the pandemic, distributing that money has proved difficult. In some cases, the money never reached its intended recipients.

Ultimately, little has been done to curb an all-but-certain wave of eviction proceedings once the moratorium is lifted. Meanwhile, the White House is pushing state and municipal governments to do everything they can to stave off an eviction crisis.

“It’s fundamentally the responsibility of state and local governments to get relief in the hands of renters and landlords,” Susan Rice, director of the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, said during an early July meeting.

Here’s what’s happening in North Carolina as the end of the federal eviction moratorium draws near:

Anxiety Among North Carolina Renters Is High
Renters in North Carolina share the same fears as others across the nation. More than 63,000 renters in our state are saying it’s somewhat likely they’ll be evicted from their homes in the next two months.

Meanwhile, nearly 108,000 renters say they have no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month and nearly 210,000 are still trying to catch up on rent payments, according to the Census Bureau.

Evictions Could Spike Post-Moratorium
Perhaps unsurprisingly, evictions in North Carolina and in other states across the country dropped in 2020, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

In a typical year, landlords file about 3.7 million eviction cases in court; however, from March to December 2020, eviction filings were down 65 percent in cities and states tracked by the Eviction Lab.

This was especially true in states and municipalities that prohibited landlords from taking the first steps of the eviction process, which included issuing eviction notices or filing cases in court.

Now, experts say an eviction crisis is “looming” in the United States.

Through its research, the Princeton University group noted that evictions spiked during short periods throughout the pandemic where no moratorium was in effect. For example, in the two weeks between the end of CARES Act coverage and the start of a moratorium extension, evictions were up 68 percent from the historical average. By Aug. 30, filings had returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The increase, researchers say, suggests landlords were acutely aware of what moratoriums were in place and were ready to kick out tenants who hadn’t paid their rent as soon as it was legally allowed.

Around 16 percent of adult renters were not current on their housing payments as of July 2021, according to an analysis by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

“We’re going to see what we’ve been managing to stave off: this wave of evictions that is just going to crush some of these areas,” John Pollock, coordinator of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, told CNBC.

Renters Of Color More At Risk
While fewer eviction cases have been filed throughout the pandemic, Black and Latino renters — particularly female renters — remain disproportionately at risk of being filed against for eviction and being evicted, according to the Eviction Lab.

Eviction Lab data showed that filings after March 15, 2020, targeted the same communities and individuals who were most at risk of eviction prior to the pandemic.

Notably, Black renters received a disproportionate share of all eviction filings. While Black renters make up 22.8 percent of all renters tracked by the Eviction Lab, they were subject to 35.2 percent of all eviction filings between March 15 and Dec. 31.

The Status Of Eviction Protection In North Carolina

Are North Carolina officials doing anything to prevent an eviction crisis?

While the federal moratorium expires July 31, the moratorium in our state ended June 30. More information about the temporary changes to the state's eviction process may be found here.

US. Rep. Alma Adams, who represents the Charlotte metro district, recently made an appeal to Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden to extend the eviction moratorium in the county through at least August.

McFadden said that while he did not want to add to the homelessness crisis in the county, he had no legal authority to do so.

"The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office is required by law to execute any evictions as ordered by the 26th Judicial District no more than five days from the sheriff's receipt thereof," McFadden said in a July 22 letter to Adams.

In 2019, MCSO served 6,789 eviction orders, compared to 2,979 orders in 2020. So far this year, the sheriff's office has served 1,390 eviction orders in the county.

"As sheriff, I encourage the citizens of Mecklenburg County to educate themselves to fully understand their rights and options as tenants," McFadden said. "Until a court order is issued, MCSO is duty bound to fulfill the constitutional and statutory mandates of the Office of Sheriff and will continue to serve and execute all civil processes and court orders."

What Renters Can Do
While the process of finding and securing aid varies across states, the Treasury Department has published a list of state, local and tribal government emergency rental-assistance programs to help people find relief.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also issued guidance for renters, landlords and homeowners.

For renters, the bureau offers advice on paying rent and utilities, as well as talking to your landlord about a payment agreement. It also outlines what you can do to avoid eviction and goes through your rights as a tenant.