ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 New) Many households in Rock Hill continuing to avoid evictions while struggling financially because of the pandemic. Help is on the way as organizations present new waves of rental assistance programs.
According to U.S. census data Rock Hill’s average median income is a little more than $41,000. And the cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment, more than $900, meaning most residents in the city are spending more than a third of their income on housing. For some COVID-19 has added an extra layer of financial strain.
Jennifer Wilford with the City of Rock Hill’s Housing and Neighborhood Services, says, “They need because of cove at 19 really runs the gamut it’s people that need help with rent with utilities there’s some folks that need help with food services but the great thing about the Rock Hill community is there’s also an equal number of resources.”
So far cove at 19 emergency service grants have been able to help 41 households here in Rock Hill that’s nearly 120 people. And each of those household getting nearly $2000 to help with living expensive, and many organizations are working hard to help even more.
Leslie Starnes, The Executive Director of Family Promise of York County says, “They have to have been affected by COVID-19 in someway that does not mean they had to have had the illness at some time but they have to have been affected, so things such as a loss in income due to having to leave work because he had children at home that you had to take care of or just you know your hours were cut at work.”
One mom directly felt the impacts of COVID-19, having been laid off from her job, taking care of two young kids and facing eviction. Family Promise of York County was able to provide assistance for two months rent.
Rock Hill’s Paula Ziglar says, “I am normally able to keep up with my rent but because of that one situation and it threw me behind that one mom not just on rent but on a lot of things. So for family promise to pay October as well that allowed me to catch up on other bills so now everything is down to zero.”
“As you can imagine it’s very stressful especially in this time. To think about being without a home. And you know nowadays were using our homes for more than just a place to sleep and eat and congregate with our family,” says Starnes.
Rock Hill leaders say more stories like this one are on the way the Catawba Area Coalition for the Homeless or CACH is allocating even more funds for rental assistance programs.
“One of the things that I love about the city of rock Hill is the way that the agencies do come together I think it’s one of our greatest strength as a community,” says Wilford.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson with more resources available to renters in our area.
