COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) has moved another step forward in its effort to reduce evictions, after more than 480 households were at risk last month.
A board subcommittee met Thursday to discuss their efforts saying fewer people will have to leave.
"We actually gave it another big push to try and establish repayment agreements for some of those families," Interim CEO Yvonda Bean said. "We actually met with them face-to-face to say, hey, listen. We want to work with you. We want to keep you housed."
The first group of 62 families up for eviction this month has been reduced to 19, the authority said, and payments from the remaining others have also started to come in.
"It was a little over $32,000 (collected)," Regional Property Manager Latoya Nix said, "and that was just in three weeks from the time that we had our one-on-ones."
In an earlier meeting, the agency said the coronavirus and eviction moratorium were major factors in nonpayment with 70 percent of households at risk of eviction in November.
By February, the authority was able to reduce that number to 30 percent and efforts continue today.
"We have been extremely diligent about trying to work with our families. We have, you know, via phone, door-to-door, letters, we have assisted them with completing applications for emergency rental assistance," Bean said. "We've gone above and beyond to try to work with them, including extending the terms of our repayment agreements.... If we can keep all of our families housed then certainly that's what we want to do."
In addition to rental assistance programs, the agency said it's been in contact with its partners in homeless services as they continue to work toward reducing the number of those at risk.
CHA residents facing eviction are asked to contact the authority to discuss options.