Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program

*********************This progam is no longer accepting applications.*********************

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The Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program is a new statewide initiative that may provide rent and utility assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income renters experiencing financial hardship due to the economic effects of COVID-19. The new program will help prevent evictions and utility disconnections in order to promote housing stability during the ongoing pandemic. HOPE is an initiative of the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency, a division of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The HOPE Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program – Coronavirus and the U.S. Department of the Treasury Coronavirus Relief Funds. If you are concerned about being evicted, click here to learn how the temporary eviction moratorium may be able to help you.

*********************This progam is no longer accepting applications.*********************

APPLY HERE

Landlord and Tenant Hope Program Agreement

PROGRAM RESOURCES

This program is administered by The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency. For questions call 1-888-892-1162.

Eligibility

HOPE will provide rent and utility assistance for renters that:

• Have been affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic
• Have a household income that is 80% of the area median income or lower
• Occupy the rental property as their primary home, and
• Are behind on their rent or utilities when they apply.

Tips for Applying for Assistance

• Applicants must have lived in their rental unit for at least 30 days
• Applicant must be named in the written lease agreement or a party to a verbal lease agreement
• Applicant or co-applicant must be named on past due utility bills that are part of the request for assistance
• Be prepared to:
• Provide your monthly household income
• Provide your landlord’s name and contact information
• Provide dollars amounts owed for back rent and/or utilities
• Gather your supporting documents

The Application Process 

1. Complete the application here. If you cannot apply online, you may call 2-1-1 (1-888-892-1162).
2. Eligible applicants are referred to a community partner agency serving their county.
3. Eligible applicants are contacted to confirm applicant information and gather any additional information or documents needed to complete the application process.
4. Once application information is complete, the amount of assistance is calculated.
5. Applicant is notified of award amount.
6. Applicant signs the HOPE Grant Agreement. For rent assistance, applicant’s landlord is contacted so that the Landlord/Tenant Agreement is signed by both parties.
7. Payment is made by community partner to landlord and/or utility providers.

A community partner agency will guide you through this process.

Rent Assistance

• Pays rent payments on behalf of applicant to the landlord to include:
• Existing fees or surcharges, including recurring pet fees, insurance fees, utility fees, if part of the lease agreement
• Restoring security deposits which have been applied to late rent or utilities covered by the landlord.
• Available for up to six months, including back and future rent with at least one month’s rent past due.
• Agree not to evict the tenant and end eviction proceedings for non-payment for the remainder of the lease
• Agree not to increase the rent for the remainder of the lease
• Agree to maintain a fit and habitable dwelling for the renter
• Agree not to impose new service fees, charges, penalties, or legal fees on the tenant for the remainder of the lease, and
• Agree to other conditions in the Landlord/Tenant Agreement.
• Assistance paid directly to landlords that agree to participate in the program
• In order to receive payment from the HOPE Program, the landlord must:

Utility Assistance

• Available for up to six months of past due utility payments
• Assistance paid directly to utility provider
• Assists with essential utilities, to include:
• Electricity
• Water and sewer/wastewater
• Natural gas
• Propane delivery for home use and routine propane tank safety checks.

Resources

• HOPE General Factsheet & FAQ
• HOPE FOR LANDLORDS Factsheet
• HOPE FOR UTILITIES Factsheet
• Application Information Checklist
• Communication Designee Form
• Limited POA Form
• Halt in Evictions to Prevent Further Spread of COVID-19

Report Fraud, Waste and Abuse

• Office of State Budget and Management CRF Fraud Complaint Form
• HUD Office of the Inspector General CDBG-CV Fraud Complaint Hotline
• Treasury Office of the Inspector General CRF Fraud Complaint Hotline

The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability, and provides, upon request, reasonable accommodation, including auxiliary aids and services, to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in all services, programs and activities. NCORR continually strives to make this web platform friendly to screen readers and other accessibility-related software and provide to accessible documents. To request assistance with this site or a copy of a specific document, please call 2-1-1

Notice: United Way’s NC 211 has provided the HOPE Application page as a courtesy to NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency.  United Way is not responsible for how applications are processed nor how funds are granted to individuals.  More information on NCORR can be found here. NC 211’s privacy policies as it relates to this web page can be found here.

APPLY HERE