Yesterday afternoon, Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order #206, extending the state’s protections against eviction until June 30th, in line with the CDC’s recent extension of the national eviction moratorium. EO #206 is the follow-up to EO #171 which had previously extended eviction protections in North Carolina until March 31st. Governor Cooper made no other changes regarding evictions.
The state’s eviction protection essentially affirms that the national CDC moratorium should apply across the state and be adhered to with regard to evictions for non-payment. Due to a lack of enforcement and cohesive implementation across courthouses, the eviction moratorium has had mixed results in North Carolina, protecting some from eviction while being ineffective in preventing housing loss for others.
The additional time provided under EO #206 will help give state and local governments the time needed to deploy existing and new rental assistance funds. The HOPE Program remains closed to new applicants as administrators complete payments of already approved assistance funded by the CARES Act. HOPE Program officials also continue to prepare for the next iteration of rental assistance funded by the December 2020 relief package.
