TITLE
Title
CONTRACT TO OPERATE AN EVICTION MEDIATION AND LANDLORD OUTREACH PROGRAM WITH UNC-G
end
SPONSOR
Sponsor
Victor Isler
end
BACKGROUND
Background
Since July 1, 2022, Guilford County has contracted with UNC-G Center for Housing and Community Studies (CHCS) to address the needs of vulnerable, low-income communities experiencing housing instability and potential evictions. The eviction mediation and counseling program includes a triage system of housing counseling and resource navigation that will guide tenants through options to address rental arrears, address cost burdens, and connect with existing resources in the community. The current contract ends on June 30, 2024. The proposed contract will continue services from July 2024 through November 2025, for a budget amount of $1,109,518.
During the current contract term, from July 2023 to March 2024, CHCS has held 148 eviction clinic days in the courthouse in partnership with Legal Aid and together served over 2,550 households across eviction mediation, rental assistance, and referrals to other services. During this same period there were 6,940 evictions on the court docket on the days the clinic was present in court. Of those cases, approximately 32% (2,238) were dismissed by the court or the landlord and an additional 14% (950) were delayed by being continued to a later date. Additionally, UNC-G has conducted 598 one-on-one landlord engagements, primarily with small landlords who have 1 to 10 units.
The total allocation of ARPA funds to this program was $2,298,864. With this proposed contract, all funds allocated to the program will be fully obligated, thereby meeting the federal ARPA obligation deadline of December 31, 2024.
end
BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY DOLLARS
end
REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Authorize the County Manager, or designee, to enter into a subaward agreement, in substantial form, for seventeen (17) months with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC-G). The 17-month term subaward agreement will run from July 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025 with a total cost of $1,109,518. This project will be funded out of the total allocation of $2,298,864 of ARPA funds for eviction mediation.
end