Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
16 <br /> help, they can defer them to services. She said they also use the Housing helpline for a continuum <br /> of care used for the homeless. She said this is not just to give financial assistance. <br /> Blake Rosser said one of the primary functions of the Housing Helpline is coordinating <br /> interviews for the continuum of care entry. <br /> Chair Bedford said they knew this was coming, but it feels like they are only tackling the <br /> downstream immediate evictions. She asked if they could put some cash up stream for the folks <br /> that might need the one time a year rental or utility assistance. She said it is concerning to be at <br /> this point. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton asked what the criteria are for someone to receive eviction <br /> diversion assistance now. <br /> Blake Rosser said they must qualify with their income level and have a court date. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton said they have an eviction filing notice and they have a court date. <br /> She asked if the attorney would help them. <br /> Blake Rosser said yes and sometimes they have applied for emergency housing <br /> assistance. He said sometimes they meet the attorney for the first time at the court date. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton asked if someone still has to go to court if they are working with <br /> the attorney. <br /> Blake Rosser said they must appear. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton asked if there is anything done to help people dismiss the filings. <br /> Blake Rosser said that what his office can do is get an agreement with a landlord to <br /> dismiss the filing, but they do not have the authority to do it themselves. <br /> Chair Bedford asked if it shows on their record for seven years that they had the eviction. <br /> Blake Rosser said he would have to check on that and get the information to them <br /> tomorrow. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the eviction of diversion is helpful to only those facing <br /> non-payment of rent. <br /> Blake Rosser said it is primarily for non-payment of rent. He said he does not think any <br /> payment would avoid an eviction for other causes. <br /> Chair Bedford gave an example of property damage. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott wondered if there are holdovers where the lease has expired <br /> but the tenant is refusing to move. <br /> Blake Rosser said that would not be a case where emergency housing would intervene. <br /> He said he would double check but does not think that it would be for any reason other than non- <br /> payment. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said they could get that information from the attorney. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked what is the assistance that the eviction attorney will <br /> provide. <br /> Blake Rosser said that is still in discussion. He said one option is to limit assistance to <br /> only elderly households. He said if they do not have funds to pay for the arrears to landlords then <br /> they will likely proceed to eviction or possibly the attorney could get a moveout agreement. He <br /> said it would be up to them to collect the arrears on their own at that point. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the landlord is working with the tenant, but there is <br /> no eviction filed, if they county would work with them. <br /> Blake Rosser said no. He said that is how they've been assisting for most of the life of <br /> the program. He said that individuals that could show ledgers in arrears would have them paid, <br /> even future months of rent, and the decision to scale that back was due to exhausting the funds <br /> that were left. He said they will end the year with maybe $150,000. He said that is why they have <br /> chosen this course. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked what the rapid rehousing program is for. <br /> Blake Rosser said the Rapid Rehousing program is through the Partnership to End <br /> Homelessness and those folks have higher service needs than those that would be referred to <br />