EXPLAINER: How NC Is Distributing $1.3B In Rental Aid

Federal tenant protections are scheduled to expire on July 31. That has raised concerns that tens of thousands of North Carolina residents will be unable to afford their monthly rent and could face eviction. The state has set aside nearly $1.3 billion to help with outstanding rent and utility payments. North Carolinians who are evicted will be left to find a new home in a state where rental costs have risen in recent years. Realtors are seeing demand for apartments greatly outpace supply. Some groups seeking to help tenants fear housing instability could be more severe than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.