North Carolina COVID-19 Resources for Renters Facing Eviction

Buncombe County -- PRESS RELEASE: July 23, 2020: Buncombe County Government From NCDHHS

If you are a renter in North Carolina facing eviction due to COVID-19 economic impacts, there may be resources available to you. 

Rental and Utility Assistance

If you were unable to pay your rent and/or utilities due to COVID-19 or its economic impacts, you may qualify for assistance. Call NC 2-1-1 to learn of resources in your community for emergency needs, including rental and utility assistance.   

Know Your Rights

If you rent a home that has a federal subsidy (like Section 8, public housing, a tax credit, etc.), or if the property you are renting has a federally-backed mortgage (like a FHA loan, a VA loan, a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan, etc.), you are protected under the CARES Act and a landlord is not allowed to evict for nonpayment right now. For those properties, landlords are not allowed to file a nonpayment eviction case between March 27, 2020, and July 25, 2020. An eviction notice served after this time period must provide the tenant with 30 days to  vacate.
Also, no matter what kind of home you rent, Governor Roy Cooper ordered that no landlords should file eviction cases for nonpayment between May 30, 2020, and June 20, 2020. If your landlord filed a case against you during that time, you may have a defense. Governor Cooper also ordered that tenants are afforded 6 months after June 20, 2020 to pay rent that became due between May 30, 2020 and June 20, 2020. 
Even if your eviction court date has already passed, you have 10 days from the day of the judgment to appeal.

Legal Assistance 

You may also be eligible for legal assistance. Free legal advice and counsel, including in-court representation, is available through  
Legal Aid of North Carolina. If you need a lawyer, call the statewide toll-free helpline at 1-866-219-5262 or apply online www.legalaidnc.org.

The Civil Legal Assistance Clinic at the UNC School of Law has a CARES Act Eviction  Information Line to help Spanish speakers and people who are not eligible for assistance  from Legal Aid. 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 919-590-9165. Tenants will then receive an information packet about the CARES Act via both text message and U.S. mail.
Free legal assistance for individuals in Western North Carolina is provided through Pisgah Legal. Call 1-800-489-6144 or apply online.