Evictions are on the rise again in South Carolina. Here’s where to go for help.
It’s been over a month since South Carolina’s temporary stay on evictions expired, and the effects are starting to set in for renters across the Midlands.
In March, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald Beatty issued a moratorium on evictions through May 15 to ensure renters would have a place to stay while COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were in place.
Prior to the moratorium, South Carolina had the highest eviction rate of any state in the country, and Columbia had the eighth-highest rate of any city, according to data from the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.
According to court filings, 955 evictions have been filed In Richland and Lexington counties since the ban was lifted. That’s compared to more than 3,000 evictions filed in the same time span last year.
“We didn’t see a dramatic spike in cases at first,” said Mark Fessler, an attorney for South Carolina Legal Services, a statewide law firm that provides free counsel to low-income residents. “But in the past two weeks, our office has seen a sizable increase in applications from tenants of private landlords compared to this time last year,” he said, adding that he expects the number will continue to multiply.
As more landlords begin to take action, charitable organizations are urging renters who are behind on their payments to ask for help before they receive an eviction notice.
“Everyone has been affected, so people should not feel ashamed to reach out if they need assistance,” said Laurey Carpenter, chief strategy and development officer for the state-wide nonprofit SC Thrive.
Her organization has partnered with the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority to offer up to $1,500 to low-income families who are past due on rent because of economic hardships caused by COVID-19.
They have already received more than 2,500 applications, but Carpenter said they will continue to accept more until the $5 million that’s been allocated for the program runs out. She also recommended that renters look into local charities, since many groups, such as the Salvation Army, have set up similar programs.
“We are encouraging anyone who is facing a crisis situation to call us immediately,” said Melanie Miller, program director for the Salvation Army of Columbia.
While The Salvation Army still has some funding available through the end of this month, Miller said the organization expects to receive a significant round of new funding in July.
“This will enable us to help even more people,” she said.
Adam Protheroe, a litigation attorney at South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, said renters should double check to see if they are still exempt from eviction under the CARES Act, a federal law that places a stay on evictions through the end of August for renters in federally subsidized properties. According to data collected by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there are around 188,130 units in South Carolina that are still covered under the CARES Act, at least through Aug. 24.
Although there are several databases that renters can cross reference to see if they are protected, Protheroe said none of these lists is comprehensive. He advised renters to seek out professional legal advice, especially if they’ve already been served an eviction notice, because once that happens “things usually move pretty quickly.”
Landlords are required to give five days notice before filing for eviction. After that, tenants have 10 days to request a hearing.
Protheroe said one of the best things tenants can do to advocate for themselves is to address the problem with their landlord as soon as they know they won’t be able to make rent.
“It’s worth a shot to see if you can work something out before they take it to court,” he said. “If you do nothing, what you get is an eviction notice. But if you do something, things might work out in your favor.”
Rental Assistance Programs:
Aiken/Barnwell Counties Community Action Agency
Serving clients in Aiken, Barnwell and Lexington counties.
(803) 648-6836
Serving clients in these zip codes: 29016, 29130, 29229, 29045.
(803) 786-1903
Serving clients in Richland County.
(803) 799-3853
Serving clients in Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties.
(803) 765-0260
Serving clients in Bamburg, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.
(803) 534-6805
Serving clients across the state.
(800) 726-8774
Serving clients in Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland and Sumter counties.
(803) 807-9811
Free/Low Cost Legal Help:
Serving clients across the state.
(888) 346-5592
CARES Act Housing Databases
National Low Income Housing Coalition
If your organization is offering help to renters in the Midlands, email reporter Rebecca Liebson at rliebson@thestate.com to be added to the list.
