With research demonstrating that evictions increase COVID-19 spread and mortality rates, the CDC’s moratorium that prevents some evictions is a lifesaver.

Unfortunately, that moratorium expires soon, putting millions of people at risk of being evicted from their homes. Gerry Andrews, 21, is one of those people. She was laid off from her job during the pandemic and hasn't been able to pay her utilities and rent.

"I’m feeling like there is no hope, it’s sad because not only am I going through this, but there is other people in my building that is going through it as well, older people who are disabled so I wonder how they’re going to get people to move out in time. It's just devastating," Andrews says. 

 

What You Need To Know

  • Gerry Andrews applied for assistance through North Carolina's HOPE program, which stands for Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions.

  • She was accepted, but her landlord denied payment for rent assistance through the program. 

  • With not many other options left, Andrews turned to the Greensboro Housing Coalition for help.

Andrews applied for assistance through North Carolina's HOPE program, which stands for Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions. She was accepted, but her landlord denied payment for rent assistance through the program.

With not many other options left, Andrews turned to the Greensboro Housing Coalition for help. GHC Executive Director Josie Williams says there are currently 700 evictions pending for Guilford County, and in Greensboro there are about 400.

"We are not prepared for that. The city is not prepared for that. We are already in a housing crisis, and we were in a housing crisis prior to COVID-19," Williams says.

The organization takes 500 to 600 calls everyday from people like Andrews looking for assistance and has already helped about 700 people this year. It also receives thousands of applications every day, with some returning applicants. Williams says although GHC would like to help people a second time, it only offers assistance once. 

“The HOPE program, that program was canceled a few weeks ago and so what we are seeing is an uptick of calls coming in from that, so you have all of these compounding layers," Williams says.

These are the compounding layers that research from the Aspen Institute found could affect 40 million Americans.

For more information about the Greensboro Housing Coalition and how you can apply for assistance, visit https://greensborohousingcoalition.org/.