Eviction prevention assistance programs Wake County.
There is a focus in Wake County of offering eviction help to tenants facing a short term, unexpected hardship. However, in limited cases, there may also be assistance to residents living in chronic homeless and/or with a mental health condition. Additional support can be offered to veterans from the SSVF service or disabled. The application process for eviction or rehousing programs will involve an assessment from a case manager.
Whether a household has an eviction or pay or quit notice from their landlord, or even they are currently homeless, the programs will try to help clients move into a new property or allow them to continue to live independently. Also note that the family must have a source of income when seeking assistance.
Rehousing for the homeless in Raleigh area
When someone is homeless they may be living in a shelter or even on the streets. Others are in a friend's home or even in a place not meant for habitation, such as a park or an abandoned building. The outreach services available in Wake County will help identify these individuals. Staff from a local non-profit will seek out where they are staying and meet up with them.
Sometimes an individual is homeless due to a mental illness. In these cases support will be arranged from psychiatry teams. They will assess their needs and refer them to resources to help their condition, including the possible placement into supportive housing for the disabled.
Rapid rehousing involves many agencies in the Wake County region. Many are part of the Continuum of Care. Some of the partners include Housing and Urban Development, Triangle Family Services, and the United Way. For people that were evicted in the past, they can access holistic case management as well as money for paying for a small amount of any rehousing expenses. HUD grants may be used for paying for moving costs, rental or utility deposits, lease application fees, and rent in advance payments as well.
Since the goal is on permanent housing, every Raleigh family will go through extensive case management. Government money can't be accessed unless the client shows the ability to set and meet housing goals around employment and financial literacy. In other words, the challenges that caused the person to be evicted in the past needs to be “cured” to prevent a future homeless situation from occurring.
Other components include a Jail rehousing service, which is for those residents recently released from jail to prison. The hospital diversion program in Raleigh is for the homeless that were recently discharged from an institution, and they can get support as they navigate various social services.
Programs for stopping evictions
The Assertive Engagement (AE) Teams will meet with the renter. Ideally a household in Wake County should explore the various eviction prevention programs early, before they have a formal pay or quit notice from the property owner. When that can't done done for some reason, help may still be available, but the solutions are much more limited. In all cases, a formal application and assessment is required, and appointments are also needed.
Eviction programs can be financial in nature. The Emergency Solution Grants (ESG) program in Wake County is one of the main sources of money for low income households. Federal government HUD funds can be used for a portion of rent arrears for disabled adults, families with children, single moms and seniors threatened with evictions. Veterans in Wake County also tend to receive priority for a grant.
Or when government money has not been allocated to these Raleigh North Carolina agencies, then the eviction assistance may be non-monetary. This will often involve a case worker or attorney contacting the landlord to try to find a solution such as a payment plan on any back rent owed. The mediation process can also involve local energy companies keeping the power on so that the apartment is still classified can be liveable.
Applying for homeless prevention and rehousing services in Wake County
For information, or to begin the intake process, call 919-861-1195. The applicant threatened with an eviction may be referred to another program, but more details can be provided as needed.
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