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Housing Call: September 10, 2024

Organizational Updates

​​The 2024 NC Affordable Housing Conference saw record-breaking attendance, with more than 1,300 housing professionals coming together to make it the premier affordable housing event in the state.

We appreciate each and every one of you for sharing in our commitment to furthering affordable housing in North Carolina and hope to see you again next year on Sept 30–Oct 1!

If you were in attendance, please take a few minutes to complete our short survey to help us continue to make this conference great.

Don’t forget to fill out your county profile feedback survey!

Check out our [podcast] Bonus Episode: Heirs Property Unlocked: Part 1 | North Carolina Housing Coalition

 

Federal Updates

  • Congress Returns to D.C. to Negotiate a Continuing Resolution by 9/30 Deadline – Take Action! Congress has returned from August recess and is working to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) by the end of the month. This will keep key Federal programs funded past the end of the current federal fiscal year, which ends on September 30. Since it’s an election year, a CR is expected to pass before a shutdown occurs. The duration of the CR and what it will mean for housing programs remains to be determined.
  • HUD Takes Action to Support Community Living for People with Disabilities HUD recently announced new rules designed to help public housing authorities to improve utilization of Mainstream Vouchers to help people with disabilities transition from and avoid institutional settings. Significant changes include:
    • The minimum search period before an extension must be requested will double from 60 to 120 days;
    • Housing authorities can adopt a separate Mainstream Voucher waiting list for people with disabilities to reduce burden in identifying eligible applicants; and
    • Housing authorities can adopt admissions preferences that prioritize direct referrals from healthcare and disability agencies that support community living, so long as the referral source is not serving one specific disability type.

 

State & Local Updates

The Governor’s veto of House Bill 556 was overridden in the Senate yesterday morning, after being overridden in the House a few weeks ago. This means that it will now become law. House Bill 556 – “Tenancy in Common/E-Notary/SmallClaims Changes” explicitly prohibits counties/cities from enacting source of income protections.

In his veto remarks, Cooper wrote “This bill would make it harder for low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities to find affordable rental housing by preventing local governments from protecting against rent discrimination based on lawful income.”

Qualifying homeowners in Wake County can get up to $90,000 to address urgent repairs that threaten the safety and stability of their homes. The Major Repair Program is a pilot available to low-income homeowners, no matter their age, on a first-come, first-served basis. At least 15 homeowners will be able to benefit from $1.35 million allocated by the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Wake County created the Major Repair Program to assist long-time homeowners who may be at risk of displacement because they cannot afford needed repairs to their homes. Qualifying homeowners may receive deferred 0% interest loans of up to $90,000, including closing costs and testing fees, that are forgivable over a 10-year term. Borrowers who sell their homes or otherwise stop living in the home as their primary residence during the life of the loan will repay the outstanding balance to the County. Check out the call notes for more information on eligibility and how to apply.

Last week, Wilmington City Council approved a $4M loan, including $3.15M in gap financing, for the Avenue Flats project –  a 100% workforce housing development for residents earning between 30-80% of the Area Median Income. Financing from the city was made possible in part through the city’s 1-cent property tax fund for affordable housing.

Canopy MLS – the real estate database system for 23 NC counties in the western part of the state, including Charlotte, Asheville, and Hickory, recently opted in to using the Down Payment Resource feature, a free tool that maintains a centralized database of every downpayment assistance program in the U.S. Eligible buyers can use this feature to easily see which listings may be eligible for assistance. 

  • Following over a year of analysis, research, and community engagement, the final draft of the 2024 Affordable Housing Plan for the City of Asheville is now complete and available to the public. Click here to check it out.

 

 

Events 

  • [webinar] An Update on The State of the Nation’s Housing | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, September 13, 12:15 pm, registration required.
  • [webinar] Helping Middle-Income Renters: Tradeoffs and Costs | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, September 20, 12:15 pm, registration required.
  • APA – NC Fall Conference, October 16-18, Greenville, NC
  • HOPE NC 2024 Inclusive Housing Summit | November 4, 8 am – 4 pm at The Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Registration cost: $50 individual/$100 professional

 

Resources & Reports

 

In the News

Recommended read

Housing Call: August 27, 2024

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