YORK COUNTY, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – Rent is due for many renters across the country on this Monday – mainly for those in residential housing and even some commercial renters. The federal pause on rent payments that began in 2020 to help those who had lost jobs or been impacted by the pandemic, expired this past weekend.
Now, area non-profit leaders saying they’ve been flooded with phone calls of people looking for assistance in paying back rent — in some cases — compounded over the last year.
Rock Hill Economic & Urban Development’s Jennifer Wilford saying locally there’s more than $300,000 in assistance funds still available for back rent and utility assistance. She says the most accessible program is through state housing.
“It’s the SC Stay Plus program. It can provide up to 12 months of back rent or utility assistance,” says Wilford.
Rock Hill leaders say of the residents living in the area about 50% are renters — and leaders from Carolina Community Action saying that the clients they work with, making between $10 and $18 an hour, in some cases owe back as much as $10,000 in housing fees.
“When the market does open back up and they go back into making $10, $12 an hour that’s still not adequate to sustain affordable housing. Especially for someone with a family,” says Carolina Community Action Outreach Program Manager, Iris Smalls Hubbard.
Carolina Community Action Executive Director, Karen Brackett Browning saying, “When the community takes care of all of its residents that’s when the community thrives. So, as long as this remains an issue, for part of the community it’s an issue for all of the community.”
But residents aren’t the only ones who’ve been impacted by the pandemic, landlords have too. Property Management leaders saying many landlords especially those who own single family properties or smaller multi-family units rely on rent to manage those properties and have income for themselves.
Rhinehart Property Management’s Allison Blackmon says of the more than 1,200 residential and commercial properties they manage, up to 25% will be served eviction notices. She says Rhinehart is working with property owners, tenants and residents to avoid displacement.
“Many of our properties are owned by people that, this was going to be their retirement plan. And they owned two or three properties and really depend on that income.… Now what we have seen is the landlord not really being protected and having no option on that,” says Blackmon.
Rock Hill Housing leaders say it’s okay to ask for help.
“Don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are resources out there that have been made available to ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t put people out of their homes, but you have to ask for help. So, do so as quickly as possible,” says Wilford.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is speaking with area housing leaders, landlords, and community partners about the impact the moratorium has had on families and what resources are still out there.
