If you tried to rent recently,
you know how hard it is
to get in that market.
Right now there's lots of
competition for unit supplies.
Limited prices are going up.
It's put potential renters
and tenants in a bind.
Nationwide, it's important to know
that there is help available.
Josie Williams with the Greensboro
Housing Coalition she is here today
to help us navigate the process.
She's answering questions about rent issues,
what to do if you get an eviction notice,
how you can get help making rent.
Here's how you get your questions to her.
You text us those questions,
336-3795. 775 and you get the
question answered right away
and the question is anonymous.
All right. So first and foremost,
let's kind of give everybody
like a big picture view.
Explain what the Greensboro
Housing Coalition does.
So the Greensboro Housing Coalition is
an advocacy agency and referral agency.
We advocate to help those
maintain their housing.
We advocate for the development of decent,
safe, affordable housing,
and we also have a foreclosure prevention
team and a healthy homes team where
we have certified inspectors that
can provide a free service to you.
If you need your home inspected.
And we also do landlord,
tenant rights and education
OK, and we're going to be talking
about all those things today.
Can you give us kind of an update
about what's going on here locally?
The I think the last time we talked there
were several apartment complexes that
were doubling the rent on some folks,
and so I know you guys were
trying to work with them.
What is happening now in our area?
You know, Umm, since we last spoke
the the health and environment in our
local area has increasingly became
more challenging for those that are
experiencing housing insecurity,
particularly low to moderate
income individuals and families,
there are still remains complexes
where the tenants that live there are
at imminent risk of displacement.
More concerning here recently.
We know one complex in particular,
British lakes has a June 1st
deadline to vacate the property or be
prepared to pay double their rent.
So we've been working with our city
and county officials and organizations
regarding those challenges to
help provide some support,
and we see that same dynamic
across several complexes.
But it's also a mirror image of
what we're seeing across the state,
right? And really, even across the nation.
And there are some places, some cities,
some areas that have put a cap on
how much landlords can raise rent,
but that is not what is happening
here in North Carolina.
So a lot of times people say is it
legal for them to double the rent?
And the answer is. Yes.
It is legal for private owner to
raise the rent, particularly if he
is trying to bring that rent up to
market value in North Carolina and we
do not have what one would call rent.
Control is what you were alluding to there.
We know that other cities have begun
to put those caps that in North
Carolina we don't have such a law.
All right, so let's talk about
some landlords and tenants and
how we can do a really good job of
making sure everybody communicates.
Well, let's just kind of do the 101
like keys to establishing a good
relationship with your landlord.
Yeah, I think one of the key things is to
not be afraid to speak with your landlord.
Oftentimes we see individuals and
families in situations where they
fallen behind on their rent and the
worst thing that you can do is ignore
a conversation with the landlord.
One of the first things you can do
is contact the landlord instead.
Up a plan of action to demonstrate
possibilities on how you could
pay back that rent, perhaps.
Offer to double your rent payment next month.
Maybe you have some money coming in or you
foresee a change in your financial situation.
You can also suggest a new date
to pay your outstanding rent.
Asking for a little bit more grace and time,
but then also laying out a specific date
that you could possibly possibly catch up.
And then of course if you are seeking
rental assistance from an organization,
show that you are doing it.
Most organizations will gladly provide
a letter stating that you are working
with a particular organization.
We have done that for our clients
and we have seen success in using
those letters to say, hey,
John Doe is working with us on
a rent payment plan that we will
help to clear his arrears.
So there's multiple steps that
you can do but definitely
don't ignore the conversation.
All right, let's talk about the conversation
when it comes to wanting your landlord.
To do some repairs, this comes up very
often and people will email me and say
I'm just not gonna pay my rent until
they fix what I want them to fix.
And what is the issue with that?
Well, you know first I would start
by saying that in North Carolina
the law states that your landlord
must keep your housing fit and safe.
It also says that you, the tenant,
must also keep your home clean,
not damage your home.
And so the make the law work,
both attended and the landlord
must do their part.
But in the event that you are
doing your part and the landlord
is not doing their part,
the landlord must make any repairs
needed to keep your place fit and safe.
They have to keep the plumbing and
the heating and they have to keep
the sanitary and electrical equipment
and good and safe working order.
If the landlord is providing appliances
like a stove or refrigerator,
he must fix them.
If they break down he must keep the
stairs or the sidewalk in the common
areas that are used by everyone
in a building in safe condition.
And if those things are not happening.
And he is not abiding by even housing codes.
You have to put things in writing.
Oftentimes landlords have a system
of reporting whether you report
that to maintenance via phone call.
Sometimes there are even applications
being used on cell phones.
However,
of rule of thumb always put it in
writing of any complaints about the
way that you are being treated or
the way that you or the property is
being maintained or lack of maintenance.