Community rallies with relief for tenants who face eviction
With the end of the federal eviction moratorium, several local organizations are working to help gather resources for those affected and to better understand the issue.
“If we look at evictions, it is a symptom of a much bigger problem,” Kim Carter, executive director of Cooperative Christian
Ministries and Clinic, told The Sentinel-record.
“We say it all the time around here, eviction is a symptom of poverty. Most of the time
it’s generational poverty. However, we have seen, with COVID and the pandemic, poverty rise,” she said.
“It is this circular thing that happens with so many of our neighbors. These are unprecedented times for everyone. Those who have stability can now picture that uncertainty, stress, and chaos have been amplified for those living in poverty.
“For a while, there weren’t any jobs. Then jobs came back. Then there were child care issues. We have a lack of child care options, but we also have a lack of funding for child care.”
Carter said they are hearing at the local and national level, “‘We can’t get people to go back to work.’ But I want to make sure that statement is in the context. People are going back to work, but we are finding they are grossly underemployed.
“We had a lady here yesterday with her little girl. She’s gone back to work. She’s working for a big box store … a national chain here in Hot Springs. She can only get 23 hours a week. So, if she’s making $11 an hour at 23 hours a week, she’s getting $253 a week, which ends up being around $1,000 a month. And then she’s got a 2-year-old she’s got to do something with, during that time she’s at work,” Carter said.
CCMC sees itself as a “connection point where we don’t have all the answers, but, hopefully, we know the people who do,” she said. “We have found during the eviction crisis who has what resources and who does what really well. We have a phenomenal situation where, in Hot Springs, our nonprofits work really well together. We have this really great core group of leaders that we work closely with one another. We’ve all had to flex and redesign what we do, due to the pandemic. It’s community agencies working together.”
Sarah Fowler, executive director of the United Way of the Ouachitas, said, “As the months have been coming, there’s been a select group of us who have been meeting regularly to truly discuss what programs and services are available. We want to answer community questions, such as how the assistance can be accessed and are there any requirements?”
Fowler said they are “significantly concerned with a tsunami, so to speak, of families. However, we do know that eviction doesn’t happen overnight. There are steps and processes that are in place, and depending on funding, any of these resources can change daily. So it’s good to not only have the information, but to reach out to those programs and try to get your application in. Most are a first-come-first-serve basis, meaning if you apply today you need to have all your supportive documents where you can upload that into the application.”
Fowler noted emergency funds are available through the United Way of Ouachitas, but are restricted to utility, mortgage, or rent assistance.
“It is one or the other, not both,” Fowler said. “It cannot assist with a utility and pay someone’s mortgage.”
An online application can be found at https://www.unitedwayouachitas.org.
Fowler encouraged those in significant, multi-month utility and rental arrears to contact the Arkansas Rent Relief Program at https://bit.ly/3ebtl2c.
“Ouachita Behavioral Health and Wellness has a little bit of funding left available for utility assistance that can assist with one month of assistance to help with rehousing, if homeless, or prevent eviction, if currently housed. Applicants are required to have a mental health diagnosis and must have some form of monthly income,” Fowler said.
Those interested can call Boyce Mitchell at 501-732-5141 at OBHAW PATH.
Fowler said funds are also available through the Garland County Service Organization through their LIHEAP Utility Assistance and CV Rent Assistance. For rental assistance call Gloria Jackson at 501-624-5724 or go to https://arfreshstart.com. For LIHEAP call George Biggs at 501-624-5724.
After that, Fowler said, “We have other organizations who do great work, like St. Luke’s Church. They are working with individuals on a daily basis. Ms. Kathy Randel does a fabulous job working with those who are homeless or about to be homeless.” Randel can be reached at krandel@stlukes.org.
“We do have a veterans representative in our community, Stephen Ezelle, with Arkansas Workforce Services. He is instrumental in how to navigate, not only, issues veterans may face, but also housing,” Fowler said. Ezelle can be reached at 501-525-3450.
Fowler said help can also be found at Ouachita Children, Youth & Family Services for the domestic violence shelter.
“We know as families are taxed and stressed, potentially facing eviction … and with the pandemic, and depending on employment … things can get escalated quickly,” she said. “Things get heightened and our nerves are on their wit’s end … just know that service is available to women and women with children.”
A 24-hour hotline is available by calling 501-865-3939.
Fowler said those who potentially qualify for Emergency Housing Vouchers should contact CCMC at 501-318-1153.
“They are the liaison from the community, as a whole, and are the referring agency directly to the Housing Authority,” she said.