Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville says a "perfect storm" for evictions is brewing, between the pandemic worsening, winter approaching and relief programs running out at year's end.(Photo: mphillips007, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Todays batch of burning questions, my smart-aleck answers and the real deal:

Question: To what organizations or social service agencies can I contribute in order to help individuals and families who cannot pay the rent or meet their mortgage payments? I am lucky.I can continue to live on my pensions and Social Security. How can I pass it on?

My answer: I have sent you my address by personal message.

Real answer: First of all, I commend this reader for her altruistic nature and genuinely wanting to help others. Lord knows, we need as much of that sentiment in our country these days as possible.

More: COVID-19: Asheville commits $900K to help stop evictions, help with rent, homeless aid

Secondly, the need is tremendous, so her query is timely.

Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville works with a lot of folks struggling to pay the rent, and Executive Director Jim Barrett said a lot of folks are struggling.

Pisgah Legal continues to receive on average 1,000 calls each week, and the majority of those calls are related to urgent housing needs, Barrett said via email. "Furthermore, we are seeing more and more utility disconnects as households are unable to meet Duke Energy-required repayment plans and pay rising monthly utility bills due to colder weather.

As we reported in October, evictions in Buncombe County reached theirhighest point since the beginning of the pandemic, with 42 in September.The pandemic and subsequent economic downturn has increased the need for rental help substantially.

Pisgah Legal Services CEO Jim Barrett speaks at the memorial service for Minnie Jones, the longtime Asheville activist who died in February, at Nazareth First Baptist Missionary Church, Tuesday, March 17, 2015. (Photo: Katie Bailey/bkbailey@citizen-times.com)

"From July-September we opened 487 housing-related cases, compared to 295 during the same period in 2019, Barrett said. "And from the beginning of 2020 to September we closed 225 cases related to unemployment, compared to 14 during the same time last year.

More: Pisgah Legal overwhelmed: Thousands seek help with evictions, job loss, domestic violence

While North Carolina is still operating under an eviction moratorium, Barrett says not every tenant is protected. The moratorium order only halts evictions for those unable to pay their rent but doesn't extend to lease violations or the expiration of a renter's lease term.

It can get more complicated, Barrett said, because "tenants who qualify for the moratorium may not know that they must first try to find assistance, then fill out the CDCform affidavit to avail themselves of the moratorium." Also,enforcement of the moratorium is difficult, and Barrett says some people are being evicted who should be protected by it. Further, some households that qualify for the winter moratorium in utility disconnects (because of age or disability)are also unaware of that right and don'task for it.

This may seem obvious, but keeping people housed helps keep everyone safe, in part because it's healthier for the housed, partly because it keeps them from having to live in congregate settings such as homeless shelters. Barrett pointed to arecent University of Pennsylvania study that estimated that for every 70 evictions, one COVID-19 death could result.

Our front-line staff and volunteers are reporting more frustration and panic from folks across Western North Carolina who are contacting us for help, and with good reason," Barrett said.

He noted that the the federal stimulus money is gone, winter is coming, utility usage rises in cold months, and the eviction moratorium and COVID-related unemployment benefits end on Dec. 31.

"And when the moratorium does end, renters will still need to pay any back rent that has accrued," Barrett said. "For many, that will be a hefty bill they will not be able to meet.

He calls it a "perfect storm" of events, and Barrett wants folks to urge elected state officials to tap into "rainy day" funds to help people in need.

We need to act now to secure more resources and work with state, federal and local governments to keep people housed so that the situation doesnt become significantly worse," Barrett said. "We certainly appreciate any and all community donations to make this work possible."

Evie White, communications director at Pisgah Legal, compiled this list of organizations to which you can donate to help with rent and housing issues:

Buncombe County

ABCCM: Utility Assistance, Rent Assistance Main location: 828-259-5300; http://www.abccm.org.

Eblen Charities: Utility Assistance, Rent Assistance 828-255-3066; http://www.eblencharities.org.

Pisgah Legal Services: 828-210-3444; http://www.pisgahlegal.org/give.

Salvation Army of Buncombe County: Utility Assistance, Rent Assistance 828-253-4723; http://www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/commands/asheville.

OnTrack WNC: Financial Counseling 828-255-5166; https://ontrackwnc.org/.

Self-Help Credit Union: Small Business Lending 828-676-2196; http://www.self-help.org.

Homeward Bound: 828-258-1695; https://homewardboundwnc.org/.

Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries: (828) 669-9404; http://www.svcmblackmountain.org/.

Henderson County

Thrive: 828.697.1581; https://thrive4health.org/.

Salvation Army of Hendersonville County - 828-693-4181; http://www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/Hendersonville/home.

Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey counties

WAMY Community Action 828-264-2421; https://www.wamycommunityaction.org/.

This is the opinion of John Boyle. To submit a question, contact him at 232-5847 or jboyle@citizen-times.com.

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Answer Man: How bad is the rent crisis? How can I help? - Citizen Times