With protection expiring, how many Horry renters could be evicted? It’s tough to say
Federal eviction protection is set to expire Saturday after months of being extended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions across the country will be at risk of losing their homes, but the number of renters at risk in Horry County is an elusive figure.
Across South Carolina, more than half of renters fear they’ll lose their homes, according to a survey done by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month. But county-level data is harder to nail down.
The Household Pulse Survey through the Census Bureau only analyzes responses at the state level, so the number of Horry County renters who could lose their homes remains a mystery. South Carolina ranks fourth in the nation for the percentage of residents who are at risk of eviction, a report from research group QuoteWizard found through analyzing Census surveys since April. That raises questions about the need for further eviction protection, said Nick VinZant, a senior research analyst at QuoteWizard involved in creating the report.
“People are getting vaccinated, but this is going to have long-lasting economic effects, and it is going to hit the people who are the most vulnerable the worst,” VinZant said. “When you talk about removing some of these eviction protections, I think that just really shows how much of the community is still as vulnerable and has not recovered from this financially in any way.”
Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an eviction moratorium due to the pandemic in September, thousands of evictions across South Carolina have been filed since then.
In Horry County, more than 6,400 evictions have been filed since the moratorium went into effect last fall, according to public court records. Of those, 809 were concluded with a “writ of ejectment,” meaning tenants could be forced to vacate.
Horry County has been facing rapid growth for years, complicating the area’s affordable housing crunch, especially since the bulk of the workforce relies on low-wage hospitality and tourism jobs. Almost a quarter of Horry County renters spent more than half of their income on housing costs, raising questions about exactly how many renters are facing eviction this week as the moratorium expires.
With the area’s growth continuing, the demand for housing is increasing faster than the supply can keep up with. That drives prices up while wages largely stay the same, creating compounding problems for already cost-burdened residents.
“Unfortunately because of the length of time that official census data takes to be produced, it’s hard to know authoritatively ... how much change there’s been,” said Bryan Grady, chief research officer at the state’s housing authority. “There’s an increased demand from all sorts of directions for people who want to live in Myrtle Beach.”
Since the moratorium didn’t halt all evictions, experts are left wondering if the end of the protections will mean an avalanche of filings as once feared, or if filings will simply trickle in.
“I think it’s gonna be a slow burn,” VinZant said. “And we as a society, we can’t do it. You can’t evict that many people at one time. I think that this would be a slow burn but that doesn’t mean the problem is going away.”
Various rental assistance programs have been implemented in response to the continuing financial crunch of the pandemic for many families, but benefits haven’t always made it into the hands of applicants in a timely manner.
The moratorium expiration and rental assistance woes happen against the backdrop of rapidly rising rent costs in the area that could lead to more evictions. Myrtle Beach rent has increased 21% since last year, meaning a $1,000 rent bill could be accompanied by an extra $210 in costs when a new lease is signed.
This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 9:29 AM.
