NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Editor's note: The video attached to this story was from a previous story on a woman from the Triad receiving help from the HOPE program.
North Carolina emergency rental assistance program HOPE has opened a second application period for low-income renters experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.
The state started the Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program to give rent and utility assistance to eligible low-and moderate-income renters. The program promotes housing stability during the ongoing pandemic by helping prevent evictions and utility disconnections.
“As we begin to turn the corner on the pandemic, many people are still struggling with rent and utility payments,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “This effort will help tens of thousands of families stay in their homes with the lights on.”
According to officials, the HOPE Program will serve very low-income renters in 88 North Carolina counties.
“Very low-income is defined as earning less than or equal to 50 percent of the area median income for the county where the renter lives,” read a statement from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety in a news release.
State officials said first-time applicants and people who received rent and/or utility assistance funding from the first phase of the HOPE Program are eligible to reapply for help.
Eligible applicants may receive up to 12 months of rent assistance, which may include up to nine months of past due rent, according to NCDPS.
Rent assistance provided during the first phase of the HOPE Program counts towards the 12 months of total rent assistance that an applicant can receive.
Utility assistance is available to applicants that apply and qualify for rent assistance. Officials said utility-only applications will not be accepted in this phase of the HOPE Program.
To date, the program has awarded over $133 million in assistance to help more than 36,000 families statewide, according to NCDPS.
A complete list of the counties served by the HOPE Program, county programs and tribal government programs can be found online using the NC HOPE Interactive Map.
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