Housing Call: December 20, 2022 – North Carolina Housing Coalition

The omnibus appropriations bill was unveiled publicly this morning with a topline number of $1.7 trillion to fund the federal government through September 2023. Congress reached an agreement on the framework for the final FY23 spending bill last week, but still needed to pass a one-week continuing resolution to give negotiators a few more days to wrap up the details. Lawmakers had already used a stopgap spending bill earlier in the year to give themselves until Dec. 16 to reach a bipartisan agreement on the full year appropriations bills. Lawmakers need to pass the larger appropriations bill by Friday to meet the deadline of the latest continuing resolution.Appropriations staff in both chambers spent the weekend compiling legislative text and piecing together each subcommittee’s portion of the $1.7 trillion year-end spending package. Congressional leaders included $38 billion in emergency assistance for Ukraine and $40.6 billion to assist communities across the country recovering from disasters. It also includes policy provisions for the Electoral Count Act to update how Congress certifies election results. The Coalition is still analyzing the bill for what’s included on housing and will keep the network updated.

Last week, the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations Subcommittee on Hurricane Response and Recovery heard updates on progress that had been made on ReBuild NC’s efforts to build and repair homes in the wake of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. Although improvements were observed such as an increase in the rate of appeals and increased flexibility in assistance, issues with the process remain. Legislators on the committee are continuing to call for accountability. More details can be found in the Coalition’s analysis on the meeting.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $1.4 million in rural communities in North Carolina. The investment is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan to strengthen infrastructure in less populated areas and is intended to “expand economic opportunities and access to housing for underserved rural people who live and work in North Carolina.”. A list of the North Carolina projects can be found in this WRAL article. The $1.4 million is part of a broader funding initiative that will benefit hundreds of thousands of people in 47 states and American Samoa.

Governor Roy Cooper announced last week that 42 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, supporting rural economic development projects in North Carolina. A total of $19.76 million will be issued in this second round of grantmaking from the Fund, which helps local governments overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. Grants were awarded in four categories: Downtown Revitalization, Resilient Neighborhoods, Community Enhancements and Rural Community Capacity.
The City of Raleigh launched a new program to make Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) more accessible. The Accessory Dwelling Unit Fast Track Program offers building plans for property owners to purchase that have been pre-reviewed for Building Code compliance. The city hopes the program will make the construction of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) a more accessible process for Raleigh homeowners.

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