Western NC Residents Demand an Emergency Eviction & Foreclosure Moratorium

Western NC has suffered unprecedented damage from Hurricane Helene.

The Riverview Apartments near Tunnel Road were destroyed.
The Riverview Apartments near Tunnel Road were destroyed.

The local economy has been devastated, leaving many without any source of income.

In the wake of this natural disaster, the region faces an impending economic disaster as tenants and homeowners face imminent eviction and foreclosure.

Governor Cooper, Chief Justice Newby, Buncombe County Chief District Court Judge Hill, and Buncombe County Clerk of Court Christy can choose to stop further harm to our neighbors by enacting a foreclosure and eviction moratorium.

“I lost my job due to Helene, I was denied FEMA (assistance), unemployment can’t cover costs, and to top it off, landlords want rent and banks expect mortgage payments,” said Cortne Roche, a tenant leader with the Western NC Tenants Network. “To expect rent when people have no running water, are jobless and hurting from this disaster, is deplorable. The county has the power to keep people in their homes and stop landlords from evicting us. Working-class people in WNC are suffering and the landlords think only of money.”

This unnecessary displacement will hurt those struggling to rebuild and will undermine the region’s ability to recover. Without a moratorium, Helene could lead to mass evictions, as so many natural disasters have before.

As the region continues to survey the damage and repair essential infrastructure, triaging emergency temporary shelter is crucial. Forcing residents who have safe housing, but are unable to pay their rent due to the widespread damage, into those temporary shelters will undermine WNC’s recovery.

“It’s already hard enough to make it in this town. With no work, how are we supposed to survive?” said Drew Walley, a member of Asheville Food & Beverage United union. “If people are forced to leave their homes, then this town will die. It will be a ghost town and open itself up to crime this city couldn’t imagine.”

While federal and state resources will likely come to support rebuilding, an eviction and foreclosure moratorium is crucial to make sure residents can stay for long enough for that aid to arrive. Studies and the experiences of survivors from recent disasters show that economic disruption can prevent many survivors, both renters and homeowners, from collecting the funds necessary to remain in their homes.

Acting now is crucial. Especially for the most vulnerable, the next few weeks will decide if they have a place to stay or are forced into homelessness.

Jade Nichol, a member of Asheville Food & Beverage United, said, “Although I’m on partial disability, I rely on my job at the restaurant in order to pay my bills and provide any standard of living for the month. Because I’m on disability, I’m only allowed to retain so much in my bank account at a time, so I have no savings. Hurricane Helene will render me homeless.

“My employer has no idea when they’ll be able to start again,” she continued. “We are missing out on peak tourism season, where most of us save money to make it throughout the remainder of the year. Without a moratorium on rent or mortgages, this area will not survive.”

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Governor Cooper and the Chief Justice of the NC Supreme Court stepped up to protect North Carolinians from eviction. That decision saved countless lives. Now, Western NC needs them to protect our neighbors again.

Take Action

Is your landlord preventing you from accessing hurricane relief funds? Landlords are not eligible to receive FEMA’s serious needs assistance where they do not reside. If you’ve been denied Serious Needs Assistance, you can appeal the decision within 60 days. Contact Legal Aid’s disaster relief project for help at legalaidnc.org/disaster.

If your rental home has been damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster and you have questions about your rights as a tenant, you can text 919-909-0580, or @ncjusticecenter on WhatsApp.

If you have been impacted by Hurricane Helene, visit the NC Justice Center resources page at www.ncjustice.org/publications/resources-for-natural-disasters to download Spanish and English language information on tenants’ rights. The page includes answers these questions:

  • Can I cancel my lease or stop paying rent if I am a tenant and my home is damaged by a natural disaster?
  • Is my landlord responsible for reimbursing me for personal property damaged in a disaster?
  • If I am an immigrant or members of my family are immigrants, can we qualify for monetary assistance from FEMA?
  • Is it safe to share my personal information with FEMA if I am an immigrant?
  • What sort of benefits does FEMA provide to tenants, homeowners, and those in “rent to own” contracts?

Take action for a WNC rent, mortgage, and eviction moratorium. Go to www.justeconomicswnc.org/hurricane-helene-resources.

 

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