NCHC Updates
NC Housing Coalition Releases 2025 Legislative Summary
On Friday, we released the NC Housing Coalition 2025 Legislative Summary. This report reviews all of this legislative session’s bills related to housing and community development that have survived crossover, plus a few bills that introduced innovative solutions for communities looking to diversify housing supply and increase affordable housing options. You can find the summary on our website by going to the 2025-2026 Policy Agenda tab and scrolling down.
NC Housing Coalition Featured at Enterprise Rural Rental Housing Preservation Academy
Last week, our Director of Housing Policy Stephanie Watkins-Cruz was in Knoxville as part of the Rural Rental Housing Preservation Academy hosted by Enterprise Community Partners. She served on the panel discussion “State and Local Policy” with State Senator Richard Briggs from Tennessee and Phillip Gillman from Georgia, where they discussed land use reform, disaster recovery, and the importance of engaging in advocacy in policy change. This is part of NC Housing Coalition’s growing involvement in regional policy discussions with counterparts across the Southeastern United States.
Register for the 2025 NC Affordable Housing Conference
Early bird registration for the 2025 NC Affordable Housing Conference is now open! Get our best rate by registering before close of business on August 29 at 5 pm and check out the agenda to see what we have in store for our attendees. Information about hotels, speakers, sponsors and more can all be found on our website. We look forward to seeing you on September 30–October 1 at the Raleigh Convention Center for the 2025 NC Affordable Housing Conference.
Federal Updates
Take Action: Visit Your Members of Congress on Recess
Congress is out on August Recess and will return in early September. When they return, they have about a month to pass a budget or (what will most likely happen) pass a short-term stop-gap spending bill before the new Federal fiscal year begins on October 1. Federal legislators are currently home on recess. Now is a great time to set up a meeting with your members of Congress to advocate for increased investments in housing and homelessness resources.
Last week, the US Justice Department announced it has reached a proposed settlement with Greystar, the nation’s largest landlord, in a lawsuit over their involvement in the RealPage algorithmic price fixing scheme. The settlement prevents Greystar from participating in algorithmic rent price fixing in the future and ensures their cooperation with the larger pending monopolization lawsuit against the RealPage software company that was used by many large landlords to illegally fix rent prices.
FHFA Doubles Amount Fannie & Freddie Can Invest in LIHTC in Rural Areas
Last week, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that it is doubling the amount that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can invest in Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties from $1 billion to $2 billion each. Fannie and Freddie can together now deploy $4 billion each year in support of the affordable housing tax credits — half of which will be reserved for difficult to serve LIHTC markets and at least 20% of that half will be Duty to Serve Rural Communities. This change is expected to help increase LIHTC development in rural and underserved areas. While this is a welcome reform, our colleagues at the National Low Income Housing Coalition explain in a recent blog how additional reforms are needed to ensure that extremely low income households have access to affordable housing, particularly in light of cuts made to the SNAP and Medicaid programs in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’
Trump says he’s placing Washington police under federal control and activating the National Guard
Yesterday, the Trump administration took federal control of the Washington DC Metro police departments and deployed 800 members of the National Guard in a purported effort to clean up the city and remove criminals and people experiencing homelessness. With no long-term, sustainable solution to address the root causes of homelessness, this does not offer a long-term solution.
State Updates
Disaster Recovery
- On Friday, August 8, the Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC met virtually. GROW NC staff shared that the state has requested federal funding to cover 48% of Helene’s damage, and so far, it has received or been awarded federal funds covering 6% of total damages.
The next Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC meeting will be Monday, September 15 from 10am-12pm at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock and streamed virtually. We’ll share a link to register once it’s published on their website.
Additional Disaster Headlines
- NC’s Helene programs for homes and farms inch closer to delivery, with thousands seeking aid
- Firm managing NC’s Helene recovery is set to be barred from government contracts in WV
- Governor Stein Declares Tropical Storm Chantal a Type I State Disaster, Activates Individual Assistance Last week, Governor Josh Stein declared Tropical Storm Chantal a Type I State Disaster. The disaster declaration activates the state-funded individual assistance grant program for people affected by the storm. Grants can cover housing and rental assistance, personal property replacement, and other storm-related expenses. To apply for Individual Assistance through the state, visit one of the Disaster Recovery Centers listed below. Governor Stein continues to urge the Federal government to issue a Federal Major Disaster Declaration, which would expedite federal aid in the disaster area and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) assistance statewide.
Orange County: 203 South Greensboro St., Carrboro, NC
Hours are M-F; 8:30am – 5:00pm; 10:00am – 2:00pm on Saturday
Alamance County: 319 N. Graham-Hopedale Rd., Burlington, NC
Hours are M-F; 8:00am – 5:00pm; 10:00am – 2:00pm on Saturday
Durham County: 221 Milton Rd., Durham, NC
Hours are M-F; 10:00am – 5:00pm; 10:00am – 2:00pm on Saturday
The State is donating 11 acres of land to the Town of Black Mountain for the creation of a new Emergency Operations Center designed to train first responders and Emergency Management professionals. The Western NC town, which was severely impacted by Helene last fall, recently established its own Office of Recovery and Resiliency and is in the process of establishing and training a civilian Community Emergency Response Team to help neighbors and first responders during disasters.
- Renew NC Accepting Applications in WNC
The NC Dept of Commerce’s Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program is still accepting applications. This centralized housing rehabilitation, reconstruction or replacement program will prioritize low- to –moderate-income families with seniors aged 62 and older, children, and/or disabled household members impacted by Hurricane Helene in one of the eligible 29 counties.
Legislative Update
The General Assembly is in recess and will reconvene on August 26. Moving forward, the NC General Assembly will convene on a monthly basis through November 5, 2025, with December 16 being the final adjournment for 2025.
Check out our 2025-2026 NCGA Bill Tracker
Local Headlines
- Watauga Community Housing Trust sells first permanently affordable home | reflector.com
- Last Night at Commission: Buncombe eliminates last vestige of mandatory single-family zoning | Blue Ridge Public Radio
- Mecklenburg Commissioners agree in closed session: Time to end negotiations with Peebles Corp. | WFAE 90.7
- The Triangle sees a rise in homelessness, led by Wake County | Axios Raleigh
- Wilmington’s city council to continue workforce housing committee | NC Newsline
- Housing crisis impacts NC prison reentry programs | QCity Metro
Events, Reports & Resources
Reports
- North Carolina’s Housing Stock: Newer Construction and More Mobile Homes | NC Commerce
- The National Housing Trust Fund: A Summary of 2020 State Projects | National Low Income Housing Coalition
- State and Local Policymakers Should Invest in State-Funded Rental Assistance to Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis | Center on Budget & Policy Priorities
- State and Local Policymakers Should Advance Policies Prioritizing Stability and Dignity to Solve Homelessness | Center on Budget & Policy Priorities
- States Should Fund Rental Assistance as a Frontline Strategy to Address the Housing Affordability Crisis | Center on Budget & Policy Priorities
Webinars & Trainings
- [webinar] “Immigration & Disaster Recovery: Rights, Access, and Where We Go from Here” | National Low Income Housing Coalition, Protecting Immigrant Families, and Just Solutions Collective, August 12, 2 – 3 pm. Register here.
- [webinar] “Surviving The Next Three Years: A Roadmap For Housing Counselors” National Community Reinvestment Coalition, August 14, 2 p.m. Register here.
- [free online course] Caring for Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: For System Leaders | National Alliance to End Homelessness, Free until August 22. Learn more here.
- [in-person training] Affordable Housing Seminar: Tools, Strategies, and Case Studies for Local Government Leadership | UNC School of Government, October 16, 2025 in Chapel Hill. Course registration cost: $265
Events & Conferences
- Tour of DreamKey’s Brightwalk Community in Charlotte | NC Women’s Affordable Housing Network, August 26, 4 p.m.; Happy hour to follow at Heist Brewery at 6 p.m.. Register here. Space is limited.
- Innovations in Manufactured Homes (I’m HOME) Annual Conference | Lincoln Institute for Land Policy, September 10-11 in Atlanta. The deadline to register is August 26, 2025.
- Save the Date: NCWAHN 3rd Annual Luncheon, Wednesday, October 1 at 1pm at The Stockroom at 203 in Raleigh.
Join NCWAHN for our annual luncheon following the North Carolina Affordable Housing Conference. We will be announcing the speaker and sign-up information in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
- Save the Date: The National Housing Conference’s Solutions for Affordable Housing Convening | Wednesday, December 3, 8am-5pm in Washington, D.C. Registration opens in September.
