Federal updates
- There are no significant updates on Build Back Better. Senator Manchin told CNN last week that the full Build Back Better bill is dead, but pieces of the package could be brought back and considered. Negotiations for a smaller package are not currently taking place. Senator Manchin has said that the focus right now needs to be on developing a budget to fund the federal government.
- Regarding the budget, appropriations chairs are working toward a spending deal and hope to end the continuing resolution (CR) that the government has been operating under since October. The current continuing resolution extends the previous year’s spending levels and is set to expire on February 18. With talks still ongoing, lawmakers are considering a stopgap measure to keep the government open, which will likely be another short-term continuing resolution through March 11.
State updates
- The Town of Chapel Hill announced a new pilot that will expedite the review process for affordable housing projects. The pilot allows multiple advisory boards to hear details about a proposed project at the same time rather than through separate presentations: New Pilot Process for Affordable Housing Projects | Town of Chapel Hill
- The City of Raleigh plans to request proposals for two parcels of city-owned land that have just been rezoned. The goal is to get at least 120 affordable housing units on one property, serving people at an average 60% of the area median income. The second property is too narrow for affordable housing, so the proceeds of that sale will go toward the city’s affordable housing funds: Raleigh wants ‘big ideas’ for future of downtown property near Moore Square | Herald Sun
- Since last year, the average cost of rent in North Carolina has increased by 20% (or $200) across the state. Just in the last six months, many areas of the state reported a 10% spike in monthly rent: North Carolina rental prices increasing faster than national average | ABC 11
- The North Carolina Supreme Court overturned the state’s congressional and legislative district maps in a ruling Friday that made national news: North Carolina’s Supreme Court strikes down redistricting maps | NPR
Reports/articles/events
- Report: HUD released it’s 2021 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, showing an 8% decrease in people experiencing sheltered homelessness from 2020. The report suggests COVID-19 relief had positive impacts on decreasing instances of homelessness: HUD Releases 2021 Annual Homeless Assessment Report Part 1 | HUD
- Live Streamed Event TONIGHT: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University’s annual Dunlop Lecture, Building the World We Want to See: What Do We Want Our Legacy to Be? with HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge on Tuesday, 2/8 @ 6:30 PM
- Virtual Event: NYU Institute for African American Affairs & Center for Black Visual Culture presents Home in Jeopardy: Julián Castro on the American Housing Crisis on Thursday, 2/10 @ 6:00 PM
- The Record-Breaking Rental Market | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
- Why the U.S. Needs a National Zoning Atlas | CityLab
- Why We Don’t Know How the Pandemic Affected U.S. Homelessness | City Lab
- In Covid-19 Housing Market, the Middle Class Is Getting Priced Out | Wall Street Journal
- Want Affordable Housing? Strengthen Regional Governments. | American Prospect
- Know your rights: What to do if you’ve been evicted in North Carolina | Raleigh N&O
- NC Homeowner Assistance Fund Opens Statewide | Goldsboro Daily News
- As housing market booms, more NC homeowners now ‘equity rich’ | WRAL
- Think Charlotte’s pricey? Asheville rents are worse, new report says | Charlotte Observer
- 5 solutions to Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis | Axios Charlotte
- Boone group works to provide everyone shelter from the cold | Spectrum News 1
- Buncombe commissioners to vote on funding for Asheville affordable housing proposal | MY40
