RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The United States Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that evictions can begin again across the country.

The court’s decision came just a few weeks after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) extended the COVID-19 eviction moratorium until October.

Despite the decision, there is still help available to North Carolinians facing eviction.

The North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program is still accepting applications in 88 counties.

Since the program started last fall, NC HOPE has distributed more than $342 million in rent and utility payments to nearly 97,000 North Carolina households, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency.

According to NCDPS, the HOPE Program ranks number two in the nation for the number of households served, and the state of North Carolina ranks sixth overall in the U.S. for spending of federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) money. The ERAP money is currently funding this phase of the HOPE Program.

“HOPE has kept nearly 97,000 North Carolina families safe in their homes with the lights on during the pandemic,” said Gov. Roy Cooper in an NCDPS press release. “But many people are still struggling financially because of COVID-19, and I encourage those who need help to apply now.”

The program helps those who rent their homes and have missed payments for rent or utilities. In order to receive help from the program, you must prove that you have lost income or have been unemployed since the start of the pandemic.

If you would like to apply online for the program, click here. You can also call 1-888-9ASK-HOPE (888-927-5467) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. English and Spanish-speaking representatives are available to help callers.

Click here for more information on the NC HOPE Program.