It’s something as old as the hills, and anyone old enough to remember former Republican Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow likely remembers how he would rail against the following practice: The federal or state government pays for something for a few years and then stops – and, once the money runs out, local government picks up the tab and keeps the program going.
Two decades ago, people would ask Yow why he so often voted down what appeared to be “free money” for local programs, and Yow would give them that exact reason.
Well, things are the same as they ever were.
A Guilford County program created to help tenants avoid eviction is now about to make the transition from temporary federal funding to a locally funded county expense.
Any property owner who has tried to evict someone in Guilford County knows how hard it can be. Years ago, some landlords attempted to force tenants out by removing the front and back doors. Such self-help eviction methods are illegal, and landlords must now go through the court process.
Evictions in many cases involve a long, drawn-out court battle, with the landlord losing rent month after month the entire time.
At its Thursday, Aug. 6 meeting, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to approve an $860,866 contract with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to continue operating the county’s Tenant Eviction and Mediation program for another year.
The program, commonly called TEAM, has been paid for since 2022 with federal Emergency Rental Assistance money and then federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Those federal funding sources have now been exhausted; so, the new contract will be paid for with local funds included in Guilford County’s fiscal 2026-2027 budget.
The county describes the contract as requiring no additional county funding because the money has already been included in the adopted budget. However, unlike in previous years, the nearly $861,000 will come from local county revenue rather than from temporary federal assistance.
Under the proposed contract, UNCG’s Center for Housing and Community Studies will continue working with Legal Aid of North Carolina to provide eviction mediation, housing counseling, landlord outreach and assistance connecting tenants with rental aid and other community services.
If approved, the one-year contract will run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and it will limit the county’s maximum financial exposure to $860,866.
The program’s stated goal is to help tenants avoid eviction judgments, which can make it more difficult for them to find affordable housing in the future, and, when possible, help tenants remain in their current homes.
The program provides services at the courthouses in both Greensboro and High Point, including legal information, mediation and help locating rental assistance.
According to the county commissioners’ agenda, the TEAM program and Legal Aid operated clinics on 190 court days during 2025 and served more than 2,700 households.
There were 6,645 eviction cases on the court dockets on the days the clinics were operating.
Of those, 1,659 cases – about 25 percent – were dismissed by either the court or the landlord. Another 1,406 cases, or about 21 percent, were delayed by being continued until a later date.
The program also reported 907 individual contacts with landlords, most of whom owned between one and 10 rental units.
The contract doesn’t guarantee that the program will prevent a particular number of evictions. Instead, UNCG and Legal Aid are required to track a long list of performance measures – including the number of households receiving mediation services, the number referred for rental or utility assistance, landlord contacts and the final status of eviction cases.
The program will also track the number of tenants who appear for their court hearings, cases dismissed by judges or landlords and cases delayed through court continuances.
Legal Aid will separately report the number of tenants receiving consultations, the number of cases receiving extended legal services, the number of tenancies preserved and the number of eviction judgments avoided.
The courthouse eviction clinics are required to operate at least two days a week in Greensboro and at least two days a week in High Point.
UNCG’s portion of the program will include one full-time eviction mediation program coordinator, two full-time housing counselors or mediators and the equivalent of one full-time graduate assistant position divided between two part-time graduate assistants.
Legal Aid is expected to provide three full-time attorneys and one full-time paralegal to support the program.
The contract also includes a full-time landlord outreach specialist.
That employee will work with landlords involved in eviction cases as well as landlords who may be willing to rent to individuals and families who face obstacles finding housing.
The program is expected to communicate directly with landlords, conduct broader outreach campaigns and try to increase landlord participation in county housing programs.
UNCG will be required to maintain detailed information on clients, cases, referrals and outcomes through its case-management software.
The contract also calls for the collection of household information including rent owed, income sources, age, race, ethnicity, gender, ZIP code and whether minor children live in the household.
The agreement is cost-reimbursable, meaning UNCG will submit monthly invoices documenting the services provided and the progress made during the previous month.
The county will have up to 30 days after receiving a complete and accurate invoice to make payment.
Guilford County began contracting with UNCG for the eviction program on July 1, 2022, when large amounts of federal pandemic-relief money were still available.
The commissioners have repeatedly used federal funds to begin or expand county programs during the past several years.
As those temporary federal dollars disappear, the commissioners are increasingly faced with deciding whether to eliminate the programs or shift the costs to local taxpayers. Something Yow warned about.
In this case, the nearly $861,000 eviction program has survived the end of federal funding and is now set to become a locally funded county expense
The DEMS would have it not other way. Let the taxpayer pay for it.
if my tenant fails to pay rent can i move in with them ?
Tenants can avoid eviction by paying the rent on time every time and taking good care of the property.
As for the money, there is no free money. And what is called “federal” money still comes from us, the taxpayers. The “government” NEVER pays for anything. We pay for all programs and giveaways.
True but it is ‘extra irresponsible’ for the county to use ‘one time’ funds to create new programs that require ongoing funding which would require a tax increase…..’one time’ funds should have only been used to fix limited issues…not ongoing concerns.
Amazing how the county can add incompetence on top of incompetence.
Isn’t that what Obama did
Happens all the time…City just accepted a grant to hire a bunch of new police officers. Guess who pays the salaries and benefits when the grant ends in a couple of years??
If I should fall behind on my increased property taxes will I be able to enroll in TEAM? That way I could get Guilford county to help defend me against Guilford county. Aren’t all eviction actions the same under the law no matter who is bringing suit?
Things don’t change when it comes to your money, the Federal Government gives you a certain amount of money each month. Then they stop and local governments (taxpayers) are expected to foot the bill. These County Officials knew the well would run dry long before it did. They just elected to pass the expense on to taxpayers with no concern. And they wonder why we are upset.
A few years ago, I had a friend in Madison. Self employed with three children. I got so he could not pay the rent, so he just stopped paying it. It took 15 months for the owner of the property to get him out. Meantime, my friend had no incentive to keep up the property, and pretty much trashed it. The Landlord lost all the rent, and I’m sure a lot of fix up expenses. I don’t know, but many renters take out a loan on the property, and THEY have to make the payments.
So what about the man who put up all the money, and got the shaft? My take is that after 5 days late on the rent, file an eviction notice, evicted by the end of the month. It USED to be that way. No, hardly anyone takes responsibility for their own actions, and our liberal governments cover for them.
Perhaps Skip Alston and our new Guilford County Government Bank could pick up the tab for this program? Certainly, this new Bank is a for profit venture and not a drain on taxpayer funds?
Only Guilford County could spend almost a million dollars and with a straight face say it doesn’t cost anything. For years and years a tenant and landlord could stand before a judge or magistrate. Each explain their gripe and present evidence to back up their testimony and get a fair and binding ruling on who’s correct and acting according to contract and law. It’s a good system and the only people involved are the two standing and the one sitting. It only cost a reasonable filing fee at the County Clerk’s office and an hour or two of time. All the BS outlined in the above article is entirely unnecessary.
.Billy Yow was right.
And what good can mediation do? This issue is about as clear cut as anything – either they pay their rent or they dont.
If they do, they can stay.
If they don’t, they’re out.
Simple. And obvious.
Of course it isn’t…Santa Clause and magical unicorns are real and Skip Alston is as honest as the day is long
Just say no.
Pay up or get out. That is how the world works. We all face hardships in life, sometimes they’re tough. I wouldn’t ask the taxpayers to pay for me, nor should I be forced to pay for anyone else’s.
Extremely cost effective way to prevent homelessness which then ends up costing tax payers even more.
prove it costs taxpayers more
Certainly, through court costs, including government employees’ salaries.
More racial/ socialist Guilford County bull turds.
Billy Yow had what is lacking in commissioners today, common sense, insight, and an understanding that county commissioners serve all residents of Guilford County. Democrats like to think of themselves as representing the “downtrodden” in society. What they fail to admit is that many of the “downtrodden” are society parasites.
Therefore, not only are we paying for these people through Section 8 housing, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. We are now paying to protect them from consequences of their own behavior. Didn’t pay your rent? No problem. We now have a taxpayer program that will represent you against the landlord whose house you are living in rent-free.