THEY WILL LIKELY HAVE TO LEAVE
THEIR HOMES IN THE NEXT 2
MONTHS DUE TO ADDICTION. WE
CALL EVICTION THE SCARLET
BECAUSE WHEN A FAMILY FACES AN
PEOPLE FACING EVICTION ARE
DEAD AND OFTEN BARRED FROM
GETTING ACCESS TO HOUSING TO
JOBS OR TO HAS STAYED. YOU
KNOW, RECOVER FROM THE
EXPERIENCE HAPPENED AT ACTION.
BUT IF YOU DO FIND YOURSELF
WITH AN EVICTION NOTICE ON
YOUR DOOR NO MATTER WHERE YOU
ARE. EXPERTS ALL AGREE THE
NUMBER ONE THING YOU CAN DO.
>> HES FINDING MORE YOU CAN
GET THAT ADVICE. I THINK THE
BETTER BECAUSE THESE PROCESSES
CAN MOVE QUICKLY. THERES A
LOT OF COMPLICATED PAPERWORK.
IF YOURE DOING IT FOR THE
FIRST TIME. ITS LIKELY YOU
CAN MAKE A MISTAKE. SO TALK TO
THAT ATTORNEY. GET THAT
ADVICE. YOU CAN GO TO YOUR
LOCAL FEDERAL LEGAL SERVICES
OFFICE. THEYRE USUALLY FREE
OR THEY MAY REFER YOU TO A
NONPROFIT LEGAL PROVIDER FOR
EVICTION CASES. WHEN YOU GO,
ITS IMPORTANT TO BRING THE
RECEIPTS DOCUMENTING
EVERYTHING YOU CAN. YOU CAN
TAKE PHOTOS ANY INTERACTIONS
YOU HAVE WITH YOUR TAKE PHOTOS
YOUR POSSESSIONS. OR ANYTHING
THAT COULD BE USED IN IN COURT
PROCEEDINGS TO HELP DEFEND
YOUR CASE.
>> EVEN IF YOU HAVENT YET
RECEIVED AN EVICTION NOTICE
EXPERTS URGE THAT IF YOURE
STRUGGLING TO PAY RENT, YOU
SHOULD ACCESS TO BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE
MADE AVAILABLE BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
>> YOURE GOOD TO GO. HERE IS
A HISTORIC AMOUNT OF RENTAL
ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS
ALLOCATED OVER 46 MILLION
DOLLARS TO RUNNERS AND US. BUT
WEVE SEEN IS THAT THAT RENTAL
ASSISTANCE MONEY. ITS NOT
REACHING PEOPLE IN TIME. SO
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT
TENANTS WHO ARE WAITING IN
LINE FOR THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE
CHECKS TO CLEAR MAY FACE
EVICTION IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
>> THERES PLENTY OF THAT
ASSISTANCE TO GO AROUND, BUT
NOT ALL OF THAT IS BEING USED.
NBC NEWS CONTACTED ALL 50
STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA ABOUT THEIR EMERGENCY
RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OF
THE 41 THAT RESPONDED 26 HAVE
DISTRIBUTED LESS THAN 10% OF
THEIR FIRST ALLOCATIONS. I
HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY TO GIVE.
WHAT I NEED IS APPLICATIONS
AND ANY TIME CAN PEOPLE STILL
ACCESS THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE
EVEN AFTER POTENTIALLY AT RISK
EVICTION OR WHEN EVICTION
ABSOLUTELY. THE TIMELINE CAN
BE LONG. BUT THE SOONER YOU
GET ON THE LINE TO RECEIVE
THAT FUNDING. THE MORE LIKELY
YOU ARE TO RECEIVE IN BEFORE
THAT ADDICTION TRIAL OR THAT
HEARING TAKES PLACE AFTER
YOUVE SPOKEN TO AN ATTORNEY
AND AFTER YOUVE APPLIED FOR
RENTAL WITH THE GUIDANCE OF
YOUR JOURNEY, POTENTIALLY TO
REACH OUT TO YOUR LANDLORD AND
JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT YOURE
WAITING ON THAT RENTAL
ASSISTANCE AND A LOT OF CASES
THAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE THATS
AVAILABLE AND NOT ONLY PAY ALL
THE BACK DEAD BUT SEVERAL
MONTHS OF RENT AND THE FUTURE.
AND SO IF YOUR LANDLORD IS
WILLING TO WAIT THAT CHECK
THAT THEYRE GOING IS
POTENTIALLY REALLY
SIGNIFICANT. THE STAKES ARE
HIGH AS THIS ADDICTION
MORATORIUM COMES TO A CLOSE.
THE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT.
>> HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY
LAYOFFS THAT HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED BY THEY MAY BE AT
RISK OF FOLKS LOSING THEIR AND
ALSO CONTRACTING, YOU KNOW,
COVID-19 ARE THE DELTA VARIANT
AT THIS CRITICAL TIME.
>> BUT THE IMPACTS OF
ADDICTION CAN LAST LONG AFTER
A FAMILY IS OUT THE DOOR. THE
AN ADDICTION WAY FOR THE MULTI
GENERATIONAL. ITS A DRAMATIC
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE
FOR KIDS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH
THAT AS WELL. BUT WE ALSO KNOW
THAT MOMS WHO EXPERIENCE AN
SEPARATE FROM DEPRESSION UP TO
2 YEARS AFTER BAD EXPERIENCE
THAT MULTI GENERATIONAL IMPACT
CAUSING BOTH EMOTIONAL AND
FINANCIAL SETBACKS ADVOCATES
HOPING THIS RENTAL ASSISTANCE
CAN CHANGE THAT EVICTION IS
OFTEN TALKED ABOUT AS BEING
THE RESULT OF POVERTY AND THEN
REALLY IN THE UNITED STATES.
ITS OFTEN THE CAUSE OF
POVERTY. AND SO ITS A VERY
FRIGHTENING MOMENT FOR THAT
REASON. ITS WHY ITS SO
IMPORTANT STATE AND COUNTY
GOVERNMENTS REALLY MOVE
QUICKLY TO GET THAT RENTAL
ASSISTANCE DOLLARS OUT THE
DOOR BECAUSE THOSE FEDERAL
FUNDS CAN RESOLVE THOSE DEBTS
AND THEY CAN PREVENT EVICTIONS
FROM TAKING PLACE. ♪