Raleigh – The N.C. Housing Opportunities & Prevention of Evictions Program has announced a change to income requirements that will increase the number of applicants eligible for emergency rent and utility assistance.
When the second application period opened on May 17, the program prioritized applicants with an income of 50 percent of the area median income. It is expanding the income limit to 80 percent of the area median income for the county where the applicant lives. The program initially set a lower income limit to ensure state households most at risk of eviction had the chance to apply first.
“We established the HOPE Program last fall to help North Carolinians stay in their homes with the lights on,” Gov. Roy Cooper said. “There are still thousands of families who need this assistance, and we are expanding eligibility so we can help more people recover from this pandemic.”
The HOPE Program promotes housing stability by providing rent and utility bill assistance to prevent evictions and the disconnection of utilities. During the first phase of the HOPE Program, $133 million in assistance was awarded to help more than 36,000 families statewide. More than $30 million has already been awarded in the second phase of the program that opened last month.
Applicants who received rent and/or utility assistance during the first phase of the HOPE Program are eligible to reapply for additional help. Utility assistance is available to applicants that apply and qualify for rent assistance. Utility-only applications are not being accepted during this phase of the program.
Complete information about the HOPE Program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits and an online application, are available at www.nc.hope.gov. Applicants who cannot access the website should call 888-9ASK-HOPE for help with the application process. The HOPE Call Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
More than 8,000 people have applied for financial assistance, and $9.5 million has been awarded.