’Fragile population’ living in motels faces eviction amid COVID-19, but now there’s help
People living in hotels and motels will have access to short-term funds to avoid evictions, Mecklenburg County officials announced.
Crisis Assistance Ministry will pay for at least one week of costs to avoid immediate eviction threats during the coronavirus emergency that has shut down much of public life and caused significant job losses.
“This is already a fragile population that is vulnerable to homelessness,” said Stacy Lowry, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services Director, in a statement late Sunday.
“It will only make it harder if they are forced out and have nowhere else to go.”
People needing help with hotel costs should call 704-371-3001 ext. 123.
Officials said in addition to immediate payments, they will work with the hotels and motels “to come up with a longer-term solution” and address the circumstances that led individuals to their current situation.
“This is a very tough time for everyone,” said Carol Hardison, CEO of Crisis Assistance Ministry. “We have to pull together and keeping these families from being evicted will help.”
As of Monday afternoon, 566 families in 32 hotels had received the first wave of assistance totaling about $200,000, according to Crisis Assistance Ministry.
United Way of Central Carolinas and The Foundation For The Carolinas are also supporting the effort, according to the county’s announcement.
This is just the latest measure to avoid homelessness and evictions during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Orders from North Carolina’s chief justice halted new eviction and foreclosure hearings. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, citing one of those orders, said his office would not execute eviction removal orders until mid-April.
Charlotte Water, Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas will not disconnect services for non-payment, officials have said.
The county also has leased a second hotel to decrease crowding in homeless shelters, according to Sunday’s announcement.
County Manager Dena Dioro said last week the county had leased a 123-room hotel to isolate people living in homeless shelters who may display symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been in contact with someone who has.
This work was made possible in part by grant funding from Report for America/GroundTruth Project and the Foundation For The Carolinas.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 9:10 AM.
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