Fayetteville mother fears month extension of eviction moratorium isn't enough
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- For Lisa Vaughan, the news of an extended evictions moratorium came with some relief but lingering concern for the future.
On Wednesday afternoon, Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive order which extends the moratorium past the December 31 mark to January 31.
Vaughan, who is a single Fayetteville mother of two and also looks after her mother, has been working hard to keep a roof over their heads. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March, Vaughan lost her job at a local store.
Around September, the Fayetteville mother was given the chance to be an in-home nurse and is now on her way to becoming certified in that job field.
"If I didn't have this job, I would probably be another homeless person on the street," Vaughan said. A blessing that she doesn't take for granted. However, Vaughan is still struggling to pay for rent and utilities, seeing her gas shut off this week.
"That's the only thing that we're struggling with," Vaughan said.
Vaughan tells Eyewitness News she's relied on the HOPE Program to keep up with rent and utilities. The state program has allowed her to chip away at what she owes, but she says that, along with the $600 stimulus check, are not enough to survive for long.
"$600 ain't even a rent payment. You figure rent is $595, light bill is $400 and some odd numbers, and that's not counting car insurance, food, and basic needs," Vaughan added.
The Fayetteville resident says state and federal officials will need to realize that Americans will need more time to get back on their feet, "I wish they would extend it for more than a month, because the one month... that ain't... there's not a lot of people that come up with past rent in a month."
Vaughan, who is still waiting for the $600 stimulus check, says that sum should be enough to get her gas back on in the coming weeks.
