A UNC School of Law clinic and the immigration advocacy organization Siembra NC have partnered to launch a Spanish-language hotline to help residents avoid evictions.

Following the expiration of Governor Roy Cooper’s statewide moratorium on eviction cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn, the two groups launched the hotline. The CARES Act Eviction Information Line is to help Spanish-speaking tenants identify whether their dwellings are covered under the federal CARES Act preventing evictions.

According to a release from Siembra NC, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, protects an estimated 30 percent of all rental units from eviction through at least July 25. The organization says, though, many tenants do not know if their units qualify for this protect and do not know how to find such information.

Andrew Willis Garcés, the director of Siembra NC, says the CARES Act Eviction Information Line will help tenants advocate for themselves if they enter in eviction hearings.

“This service will give Latino tenants access to information that could help them avoid eviction if their landlord takes them to court,” said Garcés. “We know Latinos are less likely to have access to attorneys or even to be able to read a court summons posted on their door, and we’re grateful to the UNC Civil Legal Assistance Clinic for their help in making sure tenants know their rights.” 

Siembra NC says it conducted a survey and found nearly half of all Spanish-speaking tenants were unable to pay their full rent in May. In addition, the advocacy organization says Latinx tenants have come to them with dozens of letters from landlords demanding full payment and threatening eviction.

The UNC Civil Legal Assistance Clinic, one of ten clinical programs in the UNC School of Law, is assisting in the effort. Director of the clinic and associate professor of law Kathryn Sabbeth says her group got involved because it believes tenants should get the opportunity to challenge their landlords’ claims.

“As it is,” she says in the release, “tenants are significantly disadvantaged because the supply of tenants’ lawyers has not kept up with the numbers of tenants facing eviction. With this hotline, we hope to make a small dent in equalizing the playing field.”

Siembra NC says individuals seeking assistance from the CARES Act Eviction Information Line should send a text with their full address to 919-590-9165. Tenants will then receive an information packet via both text message and U.S. Mail based on the research results for their property.

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