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Housing Call: February 6, 2024

Learning Collaborative – Session 3 – February 16, 2024 – Register here

Through a two-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Carolina Division of Public Health, NCHC has been engaging stakeholders across the state to address the housing needs for people who are impacted by the justice system and those that are at risk of overdose from opioids. 

We are also highlighting partnerships, collaborations, and interventions, to showcase the work that is happening in North Carolina to improve access to housing, reduce barriers, and demonstrate evidence-based practices that are improving the lives of North Carolinians impacted by the Justice system and those at risk of overdose from opioids. 

During the remainder of our project, NCHC will be convening a set of Learning Collaboratives for practitioners, advocates, and community members, to provide education, build cross-sector relationships, and coalesce around shared policy goals.

Session 3 – February 16, 2024 – Register here.

Session 1 & 2 – Recording

Resources – can be found – https://nchousing.org/housing-barriers-for-justice-involved-populations-and-individuals-at-risk-of-overdose/ 

SAVE THE DATE – Bringing it Home Conference – June 4-5

Save the Date for this year’s Bringing It Home: Ending Homelessness in NC conference on June 4-5, 2024 at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh! For the first time since 2019, we will be back in person to learn, network, and collaborate with industry experts from across North Carolina and beyond. 

Bringing It Home: Ending Homelessness in NC is a statewide conference dedicated to ensuring that homelessness in North Carolina is rare, brief, and one time only. The two-day conference will include more than a dozen presentations, panels, and workshops covering a broad range of topics related to homelessness. There will also be opportunities to network and share your own insights with fellow professionals and advocates. The conference is hosted by the NC Housing Coalition, NC Coalition to End Homelessness, and the NC DHHS ESG Office. 

Registration will open in March. For updates, check our Bringing It Home 2024 Conference Page, or contact hsolomon@nchousing.org with any questions. 

Federal Updates

  • There is a bipartisan piece of legislation titled “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act” (S.1668/H.R.5940) that proposes to permanently authorize HUD’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR). This program provides flexible grants to help presidentially declared disaster areas rebuild affordable housing and other infrastructure, and will help make critical reforms to ensure a more efficient and equitable disaster RECOVERY. 

We are partnering with NLIHC to collect organization sign-ons from local groups across North Carolina so that we can send a letter to Patrick McHenry who is the Chairman and sits on the House Financial Services Committee which will be considering the bill. When there is an opening on this to apply some additional pressure whe want to be ready so the House can act. 

If your organization is interested and able to sign on you can contact Noah Patton npatton@nlihc.org OR contact us and we will connect you with our NLIHC partners regarding the letter and any questions about this bill, letter, and/or request.

The Tax Package – Also known as – The Tax Relief for American Families & Workers Act passed in the House last week with significant bipartisan support. Now it will be considered by the Senate.

Advocacy Opportunity – Reach out to your Senators and emphasize the importance of continuing to allow the bill to move forward and to keep the two provisions from the AHCIA 2023 – which according to Novogradac could finance the production or preservation of an additional 200,000 homes

Additional Advocacy Resources

State Updates

Friday February 2 was the public comment deadline for the proposed NC Rate Bureau Insurance Hikes.

At an event last week Commissioner Mike Causey said he opposes the rate hikes. Thousands of public comments and letters of opposition have been filed in the last few weeks. Several local governments also adopted resolutions formally opposing the proposed increases like Pender County,NC.

If an agreement cannot be reached between the Department of Insurance and NC Rate Bureau with the requested rates, they will either be denied or negotiated with the NC Rate Bureau, and if a settlement cannot be reached in 50 days, the Commissioner will call for a hearing.

State Legislative Updates

  • HOA Hearing on January 24th, the NC General Assembly held a hearing on Homeowners Associations. HB 542, which was introduced last fall and remains in conference committee, would limit HOA’s abilities to foreclose on properties for small debts owed. The House Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations is supposed to meet again – date and time – TBD –  and then finalize their recommendations to the General Assembly. They are no longer accepting public comment.

Relevant NCGA Meetings

Local Community Updates

  • City leaders weigh density, development along Raleigh’s first bus rapid transit line | Last week, the Raleigh City Council heard from over 60 residents supporting and opposing the proposed transit overlay district along the New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit corridor. The City wants to rezone about 700 acres to allow for more density and walkability along the BRT corridor. Opponents of the TOD fear that it will lead to increased gentrification and displacement for the lowest income families most in need of housing, while supporters say it will increase the types and price points of housing options. Council sent planning staff back to parse the land into smaller tracts that they will consider for rezoning in March. 
  • Lumbee Tribe celebrates progress in 2023 with affordable housing, increased budget | WPDE | The Lumbee Tribe recently announced a number of housing successes from 2023. Throughout the year, the Tribe served 48 families through their down payment assistance program to purchase their first home, rehabbed 217 homes for homeowners, built 13 rental homes, managed 474 mortgages for tribal citizens, served 27 families with transitional housing, and passed a historic policy change that will open up land for more homebuilding. 
  • North Carolina’s SECU Commits $2 Million to Help the Homeless | SECU Foundation recently donated $2M to the Good Shepherd Center in Wilmington. Funds will be used to construct a 32-unit permanent supportive housing facility to help veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities experiencing homelessness.

Reports & Resources

  • Estimating the National Housing Shortfall | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
  • America’s Rental Housing 2024 | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
    • Housing is unaffordable for half of U.S. renters
    • Rent growth has stopped, but rents are still much higher than pre-pandemic prices
    • Incomes have not kept pace with rent increases over the past 2 decades
    • Homelessness is at an all time high of 653K
    • Rental stock is aging – the average unit is 44 years old 
    • The need for rent assistance is greater than ever

Events 

In the News

Recommended read

Housing Call: October 17, 2023

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