Housing Call: April 2, 2024 – North Carolina Housing Coalition

NCHC Updates

SAVE THE DATES

May 3, May 17 – last two Learning Collaborative Sessions – Registration will open soon.
June 4-5, Bringing it Home Conference; Registration is now open! Remember we will be in-person.
September 5-6 – North Carolina Affordable Housing Conference

NCTU Announcement

The North Carolina Housing Coalition is excited to celebrate the founding of the North Carolina Tenants Union. In 2020, the Coalition identified the lack of a statewide tenant advocate as a critical gap in North Carolina’s housing movement. In response, we began building relationships with independent tenant unions across the state through our Director of Organizing, Nick MacLeod. While incubating this network over the last four years, we have provided both training and resources to existing unions across the state in their local efforts while connecting them with each other for statewide impact. The formal launch of the NC Tenants Union fulfills a key part of our strategic plan to grow the housing movement so that we can win the state and local housing policies we need backed by the resources that meet the scale of the need. We look forward to a continued partnership with the NC Tenants Union as we continue to lead a movement to ensure that every North Carolinian has a home in which to live with dignity and opportunity.

Want to engage more with the NC Tenants Union?

Visit their website: nctenantsunion.org or email Nick MacLeod at nmacleod@nctenantsunion.org

Federal Updates

Biden administration to cap rent increases for some affordable housing units President is expected to announce a 10% cap on annual rent increases for affordable housing in the LIHTC program. While some housing experts are worried that the cap will further disincentivize affordable housing development, the move is generally seen as a policy win and serves as one of many actions the White House has taken recently to increase protections in federally subsidized housing.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $173 Million to Make Homes More Energy Efficient and Climate Resilient for Low-Income Americans as Part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Last week, HUD announced $173M in new grant and loan awards under its Green and Resilient Retrofit Program. 25 properties participating in HUD’s Project Based Rental Assistance affordability program received awards to assist with energy efficiency improvements and protection against flooding and other major disasters. Clinton Crossing in Clinton, NC was awarded $2.56M.

State Updates

The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) is asking people to comment on proposed changes to funding for Hurricane Florence recovery and funding for resiliency against future storms. The proposed changes being considered include spending on the Homeowner Recovery Program, Affordable Housing Development Fund, Homeownership Assistance Program, Infrastructure Recovery Program, and other updates.

Public comments must be submitted by 5 p.m on April 15, 2024 to publiccomments@rebuild.nc.gov or sent by US Postal Services to NCORR Public COmments, P.O. BOx 110465, Durham, NC 27709.

Draft of the proposed changes can be found here and are available in both English and Spanish.

State Legislative Updates

Relevant NCGA Meetings

April 2, 2024 – Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid at 1:00pm
April 2, 2024 – Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health & Human Services

The NC House and Senate are convening on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 – remember short session does not formally begin until April 24, 2024.

Stay tuned for advocacy opportunities in early May 2024!

Local Community Updates

‘No Easy Answers’: Cherokee County Leaders Discuss Affordable Housing | tribuneledgernews.com Cherokee County recently hosted their second Regional Housing Forum. Stakeholders included representatives of Cherokee County, Ball Ground, Canton, Holly Springs, Woodstock, the Cherokee County School District, and Northside Hospital Cherokee. The roundtable conversation focused on sharing solutions to meet the growing need for affordable housing and updates on affordable rental and homeownership projects in the pipeline. Examples of affordable housing solutions that local governments within the county have implemented include a first time homebuyer Down Payment Assistance program, rezoning to allow for missing middle housing, streamlining the ADU review process with pre-approved plans, and transitional housing for women and children.

Buncombe County’s Ferry Road project OK’d by Asheville council: 645 units, 55% affordable Buncombe County’s proposed Ferry Road development recently received conditional zoning approval from the City of Asheville. The County-owned property located within city limits in South Asheville tentatively plans to offer over half of the 645-unit units as affordable to households earning between 30-80% AMI. The remaining units will be market rate. Affordable homeownership opportunities will also be offered for households earning 50-60% AMI, in addition to missing middle and market rate homeownership opportunities.
New affordable housing complex opens in Uptown Charlotte A new mixed affordable and market rate apartment community in Uptown Charlotte recently celebrated its completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Varick on 7th is a 105-unit development with 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units. About half of the units will be reserved for families earning 30-80% AMI and the other half will be market-rate. The project was developed by Laurel Street Residential and funded in part by a loan from the city’s Housing Trust Fund and land donated by the City and Little Rock AME Zion Church.

Town Receives $1.5M Award for Tanyard Branch Trace Affordable Housing The Town of Chapel Hill was recently awarded $1.5M in Community Project or “earmark” funding that Congresswoman Valerie Foushee requested from Congress for the Tanyard Branch Trace affordable housing development. The Town is partnering with Community Home Trust and Taft-Mills Group to build 48 apartments affordable to families earning at or below 60% AMI. The project is also financed by 9% LIHTC credits from the NC Housing Finance Agency and funding from the Town. See a list of all projects that received earmark funds here.
Here’s what the experts had to say at the Onslow County Housing Shortage Forum Jacksonville-Onslow Economic Development recently hosted a Housing Shortage Forum. Panelists suggested 1) increasing the housing supply with a 24-hour permit application turnaround for residential projects that use pre approved floor plans and 2) maintaining a fully staffed planning and zoning department by offering competitive compensation.
The Outer Banks Voice – Property Tax Relief Programs for Seniors and Disabled Individuals The Dare County Tax Department is accepting property tax relief applications from qualifying seniors and disabled homeowners. To learn more, visit DareNC.gov/taxrelief. Applications are being accepted until June 1.

Research & Reports

Exploring the Affordable Housing Shortage’s Impact on American Workers, Jobs, and the Economy | Bipartisan Policy Center & Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy
Unlocking Housing Choice: Limitations and Opportunities in the Housing Choice Voucher Program | Enterprise Community Partners
Homelessness in the United States | Oxford Bibliography
- A short recommended list on the topic of homelessness from the coauthor of Homelessness is a Housing Problem
New book alert! Housing the Nation: Social Equity, Architecture, and the Future of Affordable Housing
- A collection of essays from affordable housing experts

Events

[webinar] Racial Disparities in Tax Subsidies for Homeownership | Tax Policy Center, April 2, 12 – 1:30 p.m.
[webinar] 2024 HUD Innovations in Ending Homelessness Roundtable Series: Housing First | HUD, April 4 1-2:30 p.m.
[webinar] The Supreme Court and the Criminalization of Homelessness | NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, April 9, 2 – 3 p.m.
[webinar] Housing Technology Series Event 3: Equitable Homeownership Innovations | HUD & Terner Labs, April 9, 1 p.m.
Fair Housing Event Series | Gaston Association of Realtors and City of Gastonia, April 11
[webinar] Preserving Owner-Occupied Affordable Homes | National Council of State Housing Agencies, April 17, 12:30 – 5:15 p.m.
[virtual] Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Affordable Housing Panel | NCWAHN, April 18, noon – 1 p.m.
[webinar] Coordinated Entry: Best Practices in Centering Equity and Ensuring Effectiveness | National Alliance to End Homelessness April 18, 3 – 4 p.m.
CAHEC Partners Conference – Raleigh, NC – June 4 – 5. To register, click here.
Women’s Affordable Housing Network National Housing Summit 2024 – Atlanta, GA – June 9-11. To register, click here.