Last week, our Policy, Advocacy, and Organizing team spent the day speaking to legislators at the General Assembly about affordable housing policy. We met with Representatives Caleb Rudow, Julie von Haefen, and Jason Saine; and Senators Graig Meyer and Steve Jarvis.
Major topics of discussion included:
- Investing in the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), making the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP) recurring
- Allocating remaining State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)/American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and budget surplus to housing
- Planning for the future of disaster recovery/resilience
- Supporting intentional coordination at the state level for housing functions and resources
Check out our Housing Minute from the General Assembly!
We look forward to continued discussion with legislators and want to encourage state and local partners to contact their representatives. Here are some suggested talking points:
Grow the NC Housing Trust Fund (HTF)
Enhance this critical and versatile pillar of our housing ecosystem to ensure it can meet the diverse housing needs across North Carolina and function as a true statewide resource.
Make the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP) a Recurring Allocation
Increase the allocation for the WHLP and ensure its sustainability by establishing it as a recurring allocation. This will better support the development and preservation of affordable housing, particularly in our rural communities.
Prepare for the end of Disaster Relief Dollars
Plan for long-term sustainability by leveraging the expertise and lessons learned from recent disaster responses. Improve our state infrastructure so that our state will be equipped to respond better in both disaster and non-disaster times.
Support and consider how to improve statewide coordination of housing functions and resources to optimize resource allocation, reduce duplication of efforts, and address housing needs more comprehensively.
Advocates can also use county-specific data from the 2024 County Profiles in discussions with legislators!
As always, be sure to sign up for our Housing Matters Newsletter!
If your organization is interested in being featured, or if you have any news/events/stories that you would like to share with our network, feel free to contact me at aspinner@nchousing.org.
