Quick answer
North Carolina has no open statewide rent relief program. The HOPE program closed intake on December 17, 2021, and Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance funding ended September 30, 2025. For rent help now, dial NC 211 for your county DSS emergency assistance program and charities with money this month, go through coordinated entry for HUD-funded homelessness prevention, and apply for a Housing Choice Voucher for ongoing help. Energy help still exists statewide: the Crisis Intervention Program year-round for heating or cooling emergencies, and LIEAP heating payments with applications from December for seniors and people with disabilities and from January for everyone else. Applying is free.
Key facts
- HOPE is closed. The N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency closed the application period on December 17, 2021 as funds ran out.
- Treasury’s ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025; no new pandemic-style rent relief can be funded.
- Crisis Intervention Program (CIP): year-round help for households in a heating or cooling crisis with a life-threatening or health-related emergency; no face-to-face interview or disconnect notice required.
- LIEAP: a one-time vendor payment toward heating bills; applications December 1–31 for households with a member 60+ or disabled, January 1–March 31 for all others, income at 130% of poverty.
- No real program charges a fee to apply.
Table of contents
- Is the North Carolina rent relief program (HOPE) still open?
- How does county DSS emergency assistance work?
- How do CIP and LIEAP free up money for rent?
- What other rent help exists in North Carolina?
- What if I already have an eviction notice?
- How do I apply, step by step?
- Related guides
- Frequently asked questions
Is the North Carolina rent relief program (HOPE) still open?
No. The Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) program was North Carolina’s pandemic rent and utility assistance program, run by the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency. It closed to new applications in November 2020 when its first $117 million ran low, reopened with federal Emergency Rental Assistance money in 2021, and then announced that the application period would close on December 17, 2021 as it expected to exhaust funds, according to the state press release. The federal program itself has ended: the U.S. Treasury states that the ERA2 period of performance closed on September 30, 2025, on its Emergency Rental Assistance page.
Watch out: “HOPE program application” pages that charge a fee are scams. The state program is closed, and the county and charity programs below never charge.
How does county DSS emergency assistance work?
North Carolina’s 100 counties run social services locally, and many county Departments of Social Services keep an Emergency Assistance or Emergency Housing Assistance fund that gives short-term rent help to residents who meet specific circumstances, such as an eviction notice and a documented hardship. Counties also receive federal Emergency Solutions Grants: HUD Exchange lists homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing among ESG’s five uses, passed from the state and cities to nonprofits, in its program requirements. Because rules and funding differ by county, call NC 211 and ask for your county DSS emergency assistance program and the coordinated entry intake for your region.
| Type of help | What it pays | Who runs it | How fast |
|---|---|---|---|
| County DSS emergency assistance | One-time rent or deposit, amounts vary | County Department of Social Services | Days to weeks, by appointment |
| Homelessness prevention (ESG) | Short-term rent and move-in costs for households at imminent risk | Nonprofits through coordinated entry | Varies; start with 211 |
| Charity rent funds | One-time payment to the landlord, often a few hundred dollars | Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Crisis Assistance Ministry, churches | Days, after an interview |
| Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) | Ongoing subsidy; you typically pay about 30% of income toward rent | Local housing authorities; NC Housing Finance Agency programs for some groups | Waiting lists |
How do CIP and LIEAP free up money for rent?
Energy help is the one statewide program still open to everyone, and paying a power bill through it often keeps rent current.
- Crisis Intervention Program. NCDHHS describes CIP as a federally funded program for households experiencing or in danger of a life-threatening or health-related heating or cooling emergency when timely help is not available elsewhere. Applications can be submitted by mail, email, fax, or drop-off at your county DSS; a face-to-face interview is not required, and a disconnect notice is not required, though applicants should present a final notice or past-due bill and have a health-related or life-threatening emergency, per the CIP page. It runs year-round.
- LIEAP. The Low Income Energy Assistance Program is a one-time vendor payment toward heating bills. Households with a member 60 or older, or a disabled person receiving Division of Aging services, apply December 1–31; all other households apply January 1–March 31 or until funds run out. Income limits are based on 130% of the federal poverty level, and you must be responsible for your heating costs, per the NCDHHS LIEAP page. Apply at epass.nc.gov, through your county DSS, or by calling 1-800-662-7030.
- Nationally, the LIHEAP office finder and hotline (1-866-674-6327) are at EnergyHelp.us; LIHEAP never charges a fee.
What other rent help exists in North Carolina?
- Work First. North Carolina’s TANF cash program for families with children, through county DSS, includes some one-time emergency payments; ask your caseworker.
- SNAP (Food and Nutrition Services). From Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027, up to $306 a month for one person; estimate with our SNAP calculator.
- Disaster help. Survivors of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina may have FEMA rental assistance and state recovery programs; see our disaster relief guide.
- Legal aid. Legal Aid of North Carolina represents low-income tenants in eviction cases at no cost.
What if I already have an eviction notice?
- Go to the summary ejectment hearing. North Carolina small claims eviction hearings happen fast; missing one means a default judgment.
- Call Legal Aid of North Carolina or ask 211 for the eviction diversion program in your county (Durham, Mecklenburg, Wake, and others run them).
- Get the landlord’s written agreement to accept a payment from DSS or a charity and dismiss the case.
- Bring documents: lease, notice or court papers, ID, proof of income, and the landlord’s contact details.
How do I apply, step by step?
- Dial NC 211 and ask for county DSS emergency assistance, coordinated entry, charities, and legal aid in your county.
- Apply for CIP at your county DSS if you have a heating or cooling emergency, and for LIEAP when your window opens.
- Apply for a Housing Choice Voucher with every housing authority that serves your area.
- Apply for Food and Nutrition Services and Work First at epass.nc.gov or your county DSS.
Applying is free. County DSS, NCDHHS, 211, housing authorities, charities, and legal aid never charge to apply.
For more specifics, see our guides on emergency rent relief by state and programs that help pay rent.
Related guides
- Immediate hotel vouchers for people who are homeless
- Hardship grants for individuals
- Utility relief and LIHEAP by state
- Housing help: vouchers, affordable housing, and paths to owning
Frequently asked questions
Is the North Carolina rent relief program still accepting applications?
No. HOPE closed its application period on December 17, 2021, and federal ERA funding ended in 2025. Rent help now comes from county DSS emergency assistance, charities, HUD-funded prevention programs, and Housing Choice Vouchers.
Who do I call for rent help in North Carolina?
Dial NC 211 for your county DSS emergency assistance program, coordinated entry, charities, and legal aid.
When can I apply for LIEAP in North Carolina?
December 1–31 if your household includes someone 60 or older or a disabled person receiving Division of Aging services; January 1–March 31 for everyone else, or until funds run out.
Does the Crisis Intervention Program require a disconnect notice?
No. NCDHHS says a disconnect notice is not required; you can present a final notice or past-due bill and must have a health-related or life-threatening heating or cooling emergency.
Can I get ongoing rent help in North Carolina?
Only through Housing Choice Vouchers from your local housing authority, which have waiting lists. Other help is one-time.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on October 24, 2026. If a source and this page ever disagree, follow the source.
- N.C. Department of Public Safety / NCORR (Dec. 13, 2021): HOPE application period closing Dec. 17
- U.S. Treasury: Emergency Rental Assistance program status
- NCDHHS: Crisis Intervention Program
- NCDHHS: Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)
- HUD Exchange: Emergency Solutions Grants program requirements
- EnergyHelp.us: LIHEAP office search and hotline (HHS)
- 211.org: find your local 211
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and not an application. County rules and funding change; confirm with your county DSS or NCDHHS. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a government agency.
Before you apply: program rules, amounts, and deadlines change. Always confirm details with the official agency or program administrator. Applying for government benefits is free.
National Relief Program is an independent guide, not a government agency. Spotted an error? Email support@nationalreliefprogram.org.
