Resources for Those Facing Eviction or Utility Shutoff

JUNE 30 UPDATE:

Cumberland County opened applications to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (RAP), a new program to assist those who are struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To be eligible, a household must be obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling and meet the following criteria:

  • Resident of the City of Fayetteville or Cumberland County, North Carolina;
  • One or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
  • Household income is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. Please note that households with an income at or below 50% will be prioritized during the first 30 days of the program to ensure funding is made available to our most vulnerable populations. Households not in this priority group are still encouraged to apply at this time and should be aware of potential delays in application review and processing.

Landlords may begin an application and invite tenants to request assistance for rental arrears.

Apply: https://iem-preregistration.com/cumberland-nc

North Carolina’s eviction moratorium is in place until June 30, 2021 – CDC Protections Remain.

Help is Available:

Step 1: Download, review and sign the CDC Declaration Form.

Step 2: Give the signed declaration page to the individual or company you rent from (for example, building management, landlord, etc.).

  • Keep a picture or copy for your records and call your expert back if there’s a problem.

Step 3: You are protected from eviction until July 30, 2021.

By taking these simple steps, you have protected your household from eviction.

If your landlord still attempts to evict you:

Step 4: contact Legal Aid of NC at 1-866-219-5262 or www.legalaidnc.org

The CDC Declaration does not stop evictions for criminal activity on the property, threatening other residents, damaging property, violating health and safety codes, or breaking the lease for something besides nonpayment.

North Carolina Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)

Starting today, Dec. 1, the Cumberland County Department of Social Services will begin accepting applications for the North Carolina Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) to help qualified families with their heating costs. The federally funded program provides a one-time vendor payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills.

Households including a person age 60 or older or disabled persons receiving services through the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services are eligible to sign up for assistance from Dec. 1-31. Disabled persons are defined as receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Administration (SSA), or Veterans Administration (VA) disability.

All other households may apply from Jan. 4 through March 31 or until funds are exhausted.

Pandemic LIEAP Automated Payments Announced

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced Nov. 30 that it will issue an automated payment for eligible seniors and people with disabilities who received LIEAP benefits last year (2019-2020). These benefits will be paid directly to their energy vendor. The traditional application process will be eliminated for elderly and disabled individuals who normally are required to apply for LIEAP funds.

Eligible households may qualify to receive the Pandemic LIEAP Automated Payments for the 2020-2021 season if a member of the household:

  • is age 60 or older or a person with a disability receiving DAAS services, and
  • is currently receiving Food and Nutrition services, and received LIEAP during the 2019-2020 season.

Requirements

To be eligible for the LIEAP program, a household must:

  • Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
  • Have income equal to or less than 130% of the federal poverty limit
  • Have resources, such as saving and checking accounts and cash on hand, at or below $2,250
  • Be responsible for their heating cost

The following verifications must be provided to determine eligibility:

  • Identification for the applicant
  • Social Security numbers for all household members
  • Copy of the heating bill
  • Proof of gross income received in the prior month
  • Proof of childcare expenses and legal support obligations paid in prior months

Since the Cumberland County DSS building remains closed to the public, applications can be accessed at http://www.ccdssnc.com/energy-assistance-programs/ and may be returned by:

  • fax to (910) 677-2885
  • email to energyprogram@ccdssnc.com
  • mail to PO Box 2429, Fayetteville, NC 28302
  • drop off at CCDSS drop boxes at 1225 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301.

Households that include a Native American who is 18 years of age or older residing in Cumberland County, who wish to apply for LIEAP benefits, must do so through the Lumbee Tribe at https://www.lumbeetribe.com/services.

For more information, contact the DSS LIEAP message line at 910-677-2821 or the Cumberland County Department of Social Services at 910-323-1540

If you have any questions please reach out to our office at DeViereLA@NCLeg.net or call/text Grayson Barnette at (910) 703-7445