Gov. Roy Cooper Extends Halt On Evictions Across North Carolina

In an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, as well as help the families who have been financially impacted, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday (December 30) that North Carolina will extend its evictions moratorium through January 31, 2021. Congress recently extended the federal eviction moratorium to the same date.

"Too many families are living on the edge, trying to do the right thing, but left with impossible choices," said Gov. Cooper. "This Order will help them stay in their homes, which is essential to slowing the spread of the virus."

As part of Executive Order 184, people will not be evicted due to nonpayment of rent, which the state estimates includes about 485,000 North Carolina residents. Nearly 3 million have also reported having difficulty covering typical household expenses, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Additionally, the state will begin accepting applications for the Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program, which provided assistance to North Carolina residents facing financial hardship by paying rent and utility directly to landlords and utility companies. According to the governor's office, more than 21,000 renters have already been notified that they will receive assistance, totaling $37.4 million.

"The overwhelming need for this assistance versus the money we had meant the HOPE Program had to stop taking applications, but fortunately help from Washington is finally on the way and we look forward to opening it back up," said Cooper.

The full order halting evictions can be found here.

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