New data shows pattern between SC low-income renting, eviction filing
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - South Carolina sits at the top of a list for eviction notices meaning low-income renters are facing homelessness more now than ever, according to new data released on the national, statewide and local levels.
Experts say there can be a variety of reasons for the jump and a range of opportunities to erase permanence around the issue for renters.
“If we don’t work together and try to come up with t solutions, we will continue to struggle as a state,” South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center Director Sue Berkowitz said.
National organization Eviction Lab data states South Carolina currently sits at 68% for eviction filings in the past year, which is above the national average.
“We know for extremely low-income renters, they are one emergency, one medical bill, one anticipated expense away from potentially experiencing eviction,” One80 Place CEO Stacey Denaux said.
The number can be affected by an array of factors, including an imbalance between livable wages and the cost of rent.
Denaux says the organization has assisted 1,700 households in just a year, actively showing the need for changes to be made.
“The cost of housing goes up, [but] wages do not keep pace with the cost of housing,” Denaux said. “We see more and more families face homelessness as a result of not being able to pay rent.”
A relationship between gentrification and eviction for low-income families could also play a part. State experts say they’ve seen more families pushed away from developing areas and larger cities.
“In areas like Charleston, when we look at the east side, there’s lots of housing now but it looks very different. And that’s push-out,” Berkowitz said.
This contrasts with the newest study by Eviction Lab, which claims there is not an active connection between gentrification and increased eviction filings on the national level.
Another big cause could be the lack of funding assistance available for renters post-pandemic.
“The combination of eviction moratoria and emergency rental assistance really helped to drive numbers down,” Eviction Lab Associate Director Peter Hepburn said. “As protections have evaporated, we’ve found ourselves back to where we were.”
In South Carolina, the average cost for a notice sits at around $30-40, while on the national level, it is around $120. Experts say it is then “easier” for a landlord to fall into a habit of turning to eviction because of the inexpensive price tag.
Overall, this makes breaking the cycle even more difficult by putting a red mark on a renter’s name.
“Having that eviction record makes it really hard to find a next place to live,” Hepburn said.
Experts say the best way to make a change is by working together as a community to combat imbalances and leaving eviction filing on the back burner as an initial reaction.
Providing affordable housing, livable wages and representation, they say, could also be a helpful pattern in making sure families aren’t left without a home.
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