South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) is a non-profit law firm. We provide free legal services in a wide variety of civil (non-criminal) legal matters to eligible low income residents of South Carolina. Our mission is to provide legal services to protect the rights and represent the interests of low income South Carolinians.
AVOIDING COVID RELATED FORECLOSURES
With everything in the news about various programs and protections for people affected by the COVID-19 crisis, it is easy to get confused about exactly what your rights and options are to avoid foreclosure. SCLS is here to help you understand some of the confusing parts and why it may be important to you.
On September 4, 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an Order that could ban evictions stemming from unpaid rent through the end of the year. The order is not carte blanche to not pay rent. And it does not forgive the rent or any associated penalties, such as late fees. But it does offer some much-needed relief to tenants who are unable to pay due to a financial hardship and who are making efforts to pay what they can.
The McKinney-Vento Act provides valuable protections for families with children in school, who are facing eviction or homelessness. These services can be particularly beneficial during the pandemic, when more families may face eviction.
With the goal to potentially stop the client and her kids from being evicted as quickly as possible, our attorney, Cable Poag, filed a “Motion to Stay the Ejectment”. This move allowed the client to be granted a hearing and eventually lead to the landlord deciding to dismiss the eviction.
The COVID-19 Pandemic continues to impact the way we interact with government agencies. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offices remain closed to the public and it is unknown when they will fully reopen. It is important that we remember that SSA’s field and hearing offices have relatively small public areas which are often packed with vulnerable individuals.
The 15th Annual Neighbor Day was a success in spite of the restrictions of COVID-19. Generous donations, established sponsorships, and dedicated employees at the Charleston office of South Carolina Legal Services were determined to make this another successful year.
South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) provides free legal assistance in a wide variety of civil (non-criminal) legal matters to eligible low income residents of South Carolina.