People waiitng weeks, months for NC rental assistance
THAT INCLUDED EATING LESS AT
RESTAURANTS AND SPENDING MORE
TIME AT HOME.
>>> NORTH CAROLINA'S PROBLEMS
WITH A FLOOD OF UNEMPLOYMENT
CLAIMS LAST YEAR HAVE BEEN WELL
DOCUMENTED.
ANOTHER PROGRAM MEANT TO HELP
PEOPLE LAID OFF BECAUSE OF THE
VIRUS IS RUNNING BEHIND.
EVEN WITH A HALF BILLION DOLLAR
INFUSION ON THE WAY.
OUR NC CAPITOL REPORTER
INVESTIGATES THE ISSUE.
>>> IT'S CALLED THE HOPE
PROGRAM, A NORTH CAROLINA
INITIATIVE TO KEEP RENTERS IN
THEIR HOMES BY COVERING RENT
AND UTILITY BILLS.
THE STATE RAMPED THINGS UP IN
OCTOBER AND WITHIN WEEKS HAD
MORE THAN 40,000 APPLICATIONS,
ENOUGH TO SOAK UP ALL 167
MILLION MEDICATED TO THE
PROGRAM.
>> WE ARE PUSHING THE FUNDS AS
FAST AS WE CAN.
>> Reporter: THAT'S HEAD OF THE
STATE'S OFFICE OF RECOVERY AND
RESILIENCY WHICH BUILT THE
PROGRAM.
SHE SAID THE STATE DID IT AS
FAST AS IT CAN BUT NOT FAST
ENOUGH FOR SOME.
WE TALKED TO FOUR TENANTS
WAITING TO PROMISED HELP.
NONE WOULD GO ON CAMERA BUT HAD
THE SAME STORY.
THE LANDLORD OR UTILITY COMPANY
HASN'T RECEIVED A CHECK AND
IT'S PILING UP.
THERE ARE 249 ENTRIES FROM ONE
WEEK IF FEBRUARY.
PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING
IN A MONTH, CAN'T GET ONLINE
SYSTEM TO WORK, UTILITIES ARE
OUT AND THERE ARE CHILDREN IN
THE HOMES AT TIMES.
LANDLORDS AND UTILITY COMPANIES
ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD OFF ON
EVICTIONS AND SHUT OFFS AS SOON
AS SOMEONE IS IN THE PROGRAM.
WE FOUND FREQUENT
INCOMMUNICATIONS.
IN ONE CASE A SINGLE MOTHER'S
GAS WAS TURNED ON WITHIN HOURS
OF WRAL CALLING ABOUT THE
SITUATION.
>> THE PROBLEM IS THE MONIES
HAVE BEEN COMING OUT SLOWLY.
>> THAT'S A PROPERTY MANAGER
SPEAKING FOR LANDLORDS ACROSS
THE STATE.
SHE SAID STATE REALTORS
ASSOCIATION DID A SURVEY OF
NEARLY 18,000 RENTALS.
41% ARE BEHIND ON RENT BECAUSE
OF COVID.
THE HOPE PROGRAM HAS PAID OUT
ABOUT 53 MILLION OF THE 167
MILLION IT HAS.
SOME DELAY IS PURPOSEFUL.
THE STATE SENDS AN AWARD LETTER
QUICKLY TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM
EVICTION AND THEN SEEKS
DOCUMENTS IT NEEDS TO CUT A
CHECK.
WITH ANOTHER 550 MILLION COMING
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
WITH NEW FEDERAL RULES, SOME
WORRY HOW QUICKLY THE STATE CAN
GET THE MONEY WHERE IT'S
NEEDED.
SHE SAYS HER OFFICE WILL BE
READY.
>> WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR PROCESS
AND LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW
REFORMS WE HAVE MADE.
>> TRAVIS HAS MORE ON pugongyingbo.com.
CHECK OUR NC CAPITOL PAGE WHERE