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After a brief pause, eviction moratorium returns
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS EDITOR
ATrump-era policy designed to protect renters impacted by the Coronavirus Pandemic was allowed to expire on the last day of July by the administration of President Joe Biden, but was then quickly reinstated — with a big caveat.
“This will be very helpful for our tenants and hopefully allow them to get rental assistance in place,” said Chase Wells, a staff attorney with Legal Aid NC.
On Sept. 3, 2020, a federal moratorium on evictions was enacted, preventing landlords from removing tenants through summary ejectment proceedings for non-payment of rent.
The moratorium did not prevent landlords from taking action against tenants for other reasons, like overstaying their leases, engaging in criminal activity or violating lease terms with regard to things like pets, guests, smoking or property upkeep.
Tenants could claim protection against non-payment evictions by signing an affidavit from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declaring that they’d used their “best efforts” either to obtain rental assistance from governments or make timely, partial payments; earned less than $99,000 a year; lost substantial income during the pandemic due to unemployment or health care costs; or would become homeless if evicted.
Rent forgiveness was never part of the 10-month moratorium, so tenants also had to attest that this fact was understood, and that back rent would still accrue and be collectable by landlords.
The moratorium didn’t prevent landlords from filing summary ejectment proceedings against tenants for non-payment, so courts simply continued the cases, preventing actual evictions.
Buncombe County still averaged more than 70 eviction filings a month during the moratorium, down from about 84 pre-moratorium. In most other Western North Carolina counties, the number of cases filed dropped by about half.
From July 2020 through June 2021, out of the 1,900 eviction cases filed in nine western counties — basically, Buncombe west — less than 10 have reached a disposition, per data from the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts.
That means there’s a substantial backlog, even as eviction cases continue to be filed. Although the moratorium did lapse — basically, for one single Monday — few, if any cases were heard in courts across the region.
But that doesn’t mean that people haven’t ended up out on the streets during the moratorium, says Mandy Haithcox, executive director of faith-based recovery shelter program Pathways in Haywood County.
“I don’t think people always understand the eviction process, so either they know it’s coming or they get the initial paper and they bail,” Haithcox said. “The last week of July, when everyone assumed it was ending, we had probably 10 or 12 calls a day, and that was just from people here in Haywood County.”
On Aug. 3, amidst a startling upsurge in COVID-19 cases after months of decline, the CDC issued an updated moratorium, valid through Oct. 3.
The most recent moratorium is identical to its predecessor, except for one significant stipulation — it will only apply in counties where the transmission of COVID-19 is defined by the CDC as substantial or high.
As of press time, 98 North Carolina counties were covered by the moratorium. Only two counties, Camden and Hyde, had COVID-19 transmission rates defined as low or moderate, so the moratorium doesn’t apply there. At least, for now.
After Oct. 3, the moratorium would need to be renewed again for protections to continue, but for tenants behind on their rent, there is a way to get current before the inevitable wave of evictions finally comes.
It’s called HOPE (Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program) and serves 88 mostly-rural North Carolina counties where low-income renters need help. All WNC counties are eligible, except for Buncombe.
The HOPE program is open to any renter who has been late on rent at least once since April 1, 2020 and has lost income due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Qualifying applicants must also earn no more than 80 percent of the county’s median income, which can be found using a calculator on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs website.
For a single person in Haywood County, that income limit is $35,500.
Eventually, the moratorium will end, bringing with it its own set of problems above and beyond the immediacy of becoming temporarily unsheltered.
“When it does happen and people do have evictions, those people aren’t going to be able to rent again because there’s limited availability here anyway, and then they’re going to have an eviction on their record,” Haithcox said. “So we’re going to have a longer-term problem than we had before.”
Adding to the problem is a new class of homelessness — workers who’ve done everything right but watched landlords sell their buildings for huge profits in the region’s redhot real estate market.
“There’s nowhere to move to, especially if you’ve got pets and three kids,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of people who’ve never been homeless before who were like, ‘What do I do now?’ I’ve talked to several folks who have employees living in their car for a year and nobody knows about them, because they’re trying to keep it together to keep their job.”
TOTAL PER 1,000 RESIDENTS
Buncombe 884 3.71 Cherokee 105 3.64 Clay 34 3.00 Graham 20 2.38 Haywood 267 4.26 Henderson 391 3.30 Jackson 159 3.59 Macon 103 2.83 Swain 28 1.96
Source: North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts
Average summary ejectment cases filed per month
PRE DURING MORATORIUM MORATORIUM
Buncombe 84 71.6 Cherokee 13 7.9 Clay 5 2.4 Graham 1 1.8 Haywood 35 19.7 Henderson 33 32.5 Jackson 17.5 12.4 Macon 11.5 8 Swain 4.5 1.9
Source: North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts
Sarah Thompson joins Dogwood Health Trust
Dogwood Health Trust hired seasoned economic and community development executive Sarah Thompson to join the organization’s Impact Team on Sept. 7.
Thompson joins Dogwood’s Impact Team as Vice President of Impact — Economic Opportunity. In this role, she is responsible for the visioning, development and implementation of ambitious economic impact strategies that will increase pathways to highquality and more equitable employment opportunities for Western North Carolinians. She will also lead efforts to increase support for micro and small business opportunities for under-resourced and marginalized communities.
“Sarah knows and understands economic and community development,” said Dr. Susan Mims, interim CEO for Dogwood Health Trust. “But more importantly, she also knows and cares deeply for the people of our region. Her many years working at Southwestern Commission have given Sarah a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities experienced in our unique economic ecosystem.”
“I am excited to continue my service to Western North Carolina in this new capacity. This is a region of tremendous opportunity and notable challenges as well,” said Thompson. “Dogwood’s approach to community and economic development, through a social determinants of health lens, allows us to take bold and creative approaches to economic stability for the people of WNC.”
Thompson most recently served as the Executive Director for Southwestern Commission in Sylva. In this role, she directed operations of the regional council of government which serves the seven most western counties in North Carolina through community and economic development, workforce development, and area agency on aging.
Thompson has also served as a member of the Dogwood Board of Directors. She took a leave of absence from that role prior to entering the search for this role. She has officially resigned from the board in order to take the position.
Haywood amends school calendar
The Haywood County Schools Board of Education voted to amend the 2021-22 school calendar during its Aug. 9 regularly scheduled meeting.
Friday, Oct. 15 is now a regular student day; Monday, Oct. 18 will remain as an Optional Teacher Workday and Tuesday, Oct. 19 is now a Remote Learning Optional Workday.
This change was made so students and staff can be in session on the day of the nationally recognized rivalry football game between the school system’s two largest high schools.
“When the Calendar Committee designed and the Board approved the original calendar, we did not know the date of our big game,” said Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte. “Our schools were reclassified last year, and conference scheduling was not complete at that time. We think it will be better if our students and staff are in school on the 15th, the day of the big game.”
History series continues at Cowee School
The lecture series, “Where We Live: History, Nature, and Culture” will resume at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16 at the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center, and will continue the third Monday of each month thereafter.
Daniel Williamson, curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum in Franklin, will present a program on The History of Highland Dress—and Much More. He will give a history of clothing that covers from the 3rd century Picts — inhabitants of Pictland, before Scotland was called Scotland — to the 19th Century. He will bring lots of artifacts, including clothing, weapons and armor, as well as illustrations.
The program will last approximately one hour. Masks are required for those who are not fully vaccinated. The Sept. 20 program will be The Unusual Critters of Coweeta.
BY DIANA CONARD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Courtney and Spencer Tetrault established Axe & Awl Leatherworks six years ago as an online business. Coming from two rewarding yet demanding careers, this required a leap of faith and a whole lot of grit. Now, they are taking another leap of faith to pursue a muchanticipated dream of opening a storefront on Depot Street in downtown Waynesville.
Inside their not-yet-opened shop, a continuous parade of faces peers into the window, cupping hands over their faces, pressed against the glass. It’s this kind of support and encouragement that drives the Tetrault’s toward opening day.
“Seeing members of the community, visitors to our beautiful town and fellow business owners encouraging and lifting us up with support has been an already remarkable experience,” Spencer said. “We want to make this a place where you want to walk down the street and check out what’s here.”
Inside the shop, it’s hustle and bustle while the hands-on work continues. The hides come into the shop in huge rolls and are cut down to size. With a team of three, each handmade piece is stitched, hand-stamped, beveled and burnished with attention to detail, promising the end result is a durable, personalized product that’s a homage to the past.
Spencer and Courtney are offering a modern twist on a traditional handicraft. They are transitioning their e-commerce business to include a brick-and-mortar establishment. There is skill in what they do. And they are also investing in our community, and through their journey, continue to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem that is characteristic of Haywood County.
The journey for these entrepreneurs began as a hobby on the kitchen island of their home. Spencer bought a box of tools and put them to use, making customized, durable products for firefighters such as belts, suspenders, and radio straps. Outgrowing the island, the hobby moved into the garage and then the basement. The product line also evolved into wallets, bags, keychains and more.
As their children grew older, they realized their careers took them away from their kids too much. The grueling shifts of being a firefighter for Spencer and a paramedic for Courtney weighed heavy on them.
“We made the challenging decision to leave those careers,” Courtney says. “Turns out one of the hardest decisions was also one of the best decisions we have ever made.”
While it takes a lot of dedication and man-hours to run a business, they can spend more time with family, where everyone helps out. Courtney’s brother, Travis, makes up the third member of their team. “Coming from professions that prioritize a family-first mindset with a group of like-minded individuals striving to reach a common goal has helped us lay the foundation for our personal business endeavors,” Spencer said. “Making workplace culture a priority makes for an environment that fos-
Courtney and Spencer Tetrault established Axe & Awl Leatherworks six years ago as an online business. Now, they are pursuing a much-anticipated dream of opening
a storefront in downtown Waynesville. Michelle Harris photo ters creativity and positive development for all involved.” Through Axe & Awl, history for the town of Waynesville is repeating itself. Years ago, there was a tannery in town. Lots of families had a connection to the tannery. This is precisely what the Tetraults envision happening again. Besides offering durable handmade leather goods, Axe & Awl plans to eventually offer classes where people in the community can learn to make their own items, such as a belt or wallet. “We want this to be something that families and friends can experience together,” he said. Even though opening day is coming soon, the Tetraults have experienced what they call hills and valleys. Starting a storefront during a pandemic has had its share of obstacles. “Thankfully, we had the Small Business Center to help put us in contact with the resources we would have never known about,” Courtney says. “When we have a question, it’s the first place we reach out to.” For others thinking about starting a business in Haywood County or growing an existing business, take advantage of the programs, services, and resources provided by the Small Business Center at Haywood Community College. For more information, visit www.ncsbc.net.
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