CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than a dozen families in NoDa facing eviction because a developer bought their apartments will have more time to find a new home.
Channel 9 learned that residents at Twin Oaks Apartments on 36th Street now have 60 days to move and will receive $2,000 to help them move.
Channel 9 reported last week that a developer bought the low-income apartments and initially only gave families 30 days and $500 to move out.
Multiple people asked Charlotte City Council members Monday to step in and help the families.
“As city leaders, I request you immediately intervene,” Sebastian Feculak said. “There’s little time for these folks to find new homes.”
This comes as city leaders are already trying to tackle a shortage for affordable housing. They have a goal to build 5,000 units for low-income families in three years.
Thirteen desperate families live in the Twin Oaks Apartments.
They told Channel 9's Mark Barber last week that they aren't able to find another place to live, so they will likely end up on the street or in a shelter.
"If we were able to move from here to there, we would've moved," resident Sandra Davidson said.
She can't afford to move into one of the thousands of new apartments popping up throughout Charlotte, because the rent is two to three times more than what she makes.
As it is, her family barely survives on a fixed income at the rundown apartments.
"We only get one income a month. Now what are we supposed to do?" she asked.
She tried calling the Charlotte Housing Authority, but the agency doesn't have any openings.
"These apartments have waiting lists, six months or more. Where are we supposed to go for those six months?" she said.
"There (is) nothing available, especially for the time that they gave us," said resident Scott Stewart. "They only said 30 days."
Channel 9 called the Housing Authority to see if there's anything it can do to help.
Its units are at 100 percent capacity with six-month waiting lists.
There are already 14,000 people in line for its Section 8 housing.
"We got people out here with children. What are they supposed to do with children?" Davidson said.
Even though the city is rapidly growing, Davidson said that this move showed there's no room for families like hers.
"It shows that no one cares. It shows that they don't have the empathy for someone with a disability or someone with a child," she said.
The new property manager said if the residents are out on time, they'll get their rent for August back, along with a $500 relocation stipend. Families said that's not nearly enough to cover the cost of moving into a new apartment.
Channel 9 has learned the developer of the property is Shae Homes.
They promised they would call Channel 9 back but have not answered any questions.
Eviction notices are typically 30 days.
The average rent for a typical one-bedroom apartment in Charlotte costs $1,100.
The city is trying to tackle the affordable housing shortage with the goal of building 5,000 affordable housing units in three years.
Cox Media Group
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