Roy CooperNC Gov. Cooper must suspend rents & mortgages during the continuing COVID19 Pandemic
Governor Cooper,
Thank you for your hard work in this time of worldwide crisis. COVID19 Vaccines are finally being distributed, but you are well aware that that it will take a significant amount of TIME until ALL NC citizens have received it. Meanwhile, millions of N.Carolinian's are STILL being critically impacted where HOME SAFETY is concerned during the CURRENT epically WIDESPREAD RESURGENCE of this deadly COVID19 virus. Most people are still out of work, or have greatly reduced hours and are UNable to make their housing payments. People are STILL BEING EVICTED in VIOLATION OF the current CDC Moratorium - I HAVE WITNESSED IT! To lose one's home is in direct conflict with the continuing 'Stay HOME - Stay Safe'' way of current life. Without a nationwide OPEN ENDED Moratorium in effect which includes all stipulations listed below to protect NC citizens from losing their homes, ALL are in serious danger because the current CDC Moratorium EXPIRES DEC. 31, 2020, which is only a week away!!
Due to the phase-reopening of the states and subsequent swift resurgence of the deadly COVID19 virus, a new NC Moratorium is CRUCIAL, and MUST have MUCH STEEPER, SEVERE, STRICT FINES & JAIL TIME for ANY VIOLATORS than the one currently in place because I have WITNESSED court officials & Landlords IGNORING the CDC's MORATORIUM, even when handed a hard copy of the Moratorium AND the SIGNED DECLARATIONS! They are filing AND ORDERING MULTIPLE 'NON-PAYMENT' EVICTIONS, EVEN AFTER BEING PRESENTED WITH the CDC's ORDERS!
In a phone call, a Cheif Magistrate ADMITTED the wrongdoings and apologized, but DID NOTHING to OVERTURN the MULTIPLE EVICTIONS their underling ordered in Court proceedings from the start date of the CDC Moratorium until that date, which was several weeks!! THEY ARE VIOLATING THE LAW, RENDERING PEOPLE HOMELESS, NOT CARING & NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!! THIS MUST STOP!
Your Moratorium needs to be for a total pause on mortgage and rent payments, which includes stipulation that there be NO PENALTIES, INTEREST or LATE FEES after the crisis has abated and NO LOOPHOLES which allow landlords to embellish the truth in order to obtain evictions, along with punishment & penalties for ignoring it as described below in the detailed list. All NC housing must be wholly and SAFELY protected from COVID19-gouging by their landlords and/or their mortgage holders/banks and insurance companies, and corrupt court officials & lawbreaking Landlords both now and after the crisis.
Expected POST-CDC Moratorium evictions, price-gouging and demands of accrued payment debt(s) or penalties by banks/lenders and landlords, plus current atrocious and unliveable raises in rent (see: nchousing.org ) and/or threats will cause massive widespread homelessness and suffering. It will also continue the current undue and overwhelming floods of people into Assistance Agencies, which are strangling our state's assistance capabilities.
We ALL need your help.
NOW is the time to ensure ALL NCs citizens can "Stay Safe". We are ALL suffering because of this COVID Pandemic. No matter how you look at it, every citizen - whether homeowner or tenant, disabled or able, poor or rich, young or old - has suffered from little or no help, and their lives have been dramatically, severely and detrimentally changed. With the Stay-Safe Stay-At-Home way of life in effect during this crisis - "HOME" (shelter) being the operative word - it is imperative you protect ALL of your constituents in this time of need.
We beg you to immediately enact a NEW "Open-Ended NC COVID-19 Housing Moratorium" to suspend mortgage & rent payments during the continuing COVID19 Pandemic, with the following stipulations:
° no penalties levied, or demands for accrued debt (interest; mortgage payments, homeowners or renters insurance payments, or rent payments), with immediate effect,
° covering any and all COVID19 related Rent and Mortgage financial diffculties beginning December 2020 and continuing 'open-ended' into 2021 stipulating continuance until after the crisis has abated, to cover any and all debt accrued during the COVID19 Pandemic.
° Strict guidelines with immediate and DEFINITE (not "chance of..") punishment incuding steep fines and automatic 60 days jail time for landlords and court officials, disbarment and termination of employment of any Magistrate, Judge, Attorney, or their superiors who had knowledge thereof and did nothing, who participate in or prosecute an Eviction case that resulted in an eviction while the Moratorium is active.
° Fines to be DOUBLED and jail time of 1 year with no possibility of early release, if the eviction results in death of anyone who was living in the home at the time of the eviction.
° No loopholes for landlords or mortgage holders to be able to evict or foreclose on ANY citizen, with the ONLY exceptions being renters or homeowners who commit a violent crime, destruction of property, child endangerment of minors in the home, dealing illegal drugs out of the residence, or are wanted by the law.
° If any Lender or Landlord wants to foreclose or evict, they must provide solid, legal proof of the above (court case documents, police report or documentation, DSS documentation, et al) to the Clerk Of Court WHEN FILING THE EVICTION or FORECLOSURE, or they shall NOT be able to file against the Homeowner or Tenant.
This will protect ALL NC citizens and ENSURE ADHERENCE BY COURT OFFICIALS, Lenders and Landlords. We are in this together: "United we stand..".
Thanks you, and God bless you,
All citizens of North Carolina
** UPDATE 7/1/2020 ** Please read the recent Updates, posted separately & below the Petition, for fantastic news & more information! Edited Petition to reflect May's small Moratorium victory.
** UPDATE 12/21/2020** Please read recent Updates. Edited to reflect violations of the soon to expire CDC Moratorium, critical widespread resurgence of COVID19 in NC, and lack of any protections into 2021.