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Housing Call: January 30, 2024

Special Guest: Hudson Vaughan, NC Housing Coalition

Talking about Property Tax Revaluations and what that means for homeowners and communities

Bio: Hudson joined the NC Housing coalition in January 2024 to develop the Pilot Community Justice Collaborative. Hudson co-founded and served for a dozen years as a director of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, a community development non-profit in the historically Black neighborhoods of Chapel Hill. In his time at the Jackson Center, he helped mobilize a community-run $3 million landbank and set of housing justice strategies that have led to the creation of over 50 diverse affordable housing units, helped retain hundreds of long-term Black neighbors, and led to the first rise in the Black population in the neighborhood in over 40 years. He recently graduated with his MDiv from Duke and published research from a year-long study with UNC’s School of Government focused on property tax inequities in North Carolina. For the last several years, Hudson has served as a consultant for housing justice and community engagement efforts across North Carolina, with a particular interest in mobilizing tools and strategies to prevent displacement in historically Black neighborhoods and support community self-determination and racial equity.

 

NCHC Organizational Updates

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

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

  • A few provisions from the AHCIA 2023 were included in the Tax Package that the Ways and Means Committee approved on Jan 19 with a 40-3 vote. These provisions include:
    • a temporary restoration of the 12.5 percent increase to the 9 percent credit from 2023-2025; and
    • a temporary lowering of the Private Activity Bond (PAB) threshold test from 50 percent to 30 percent for properties financed with bonds issued before 2026.
  • FEMA Announces Significant Changes to Individual Assistance Program Urged by NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition Last week, FEMA released the Interim Final Rule that modifies the Individual Assistance program. This long-awaited rule expands aid available to low-income renters and homeowners in the wake of disasters and addresses historical inequities that have made it difficult for low-income disaster survivors to receive the assistance they were owed.
  • Please continue to reach out to your representatives in Congress as they approach a deal on 302(b) funding which includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill that funds HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness programs – we are still waiting on details of that agreement. Click here for the latest information about FY24 housing and community development funding from NLIHC.

 

State Updates

  • HOA Hearing Last week, 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 will meet again on February 7 and then finalize their recommendations to the General Assembly. They are no longer accepting public comment.

Reminders about public input opportunities!

Statewide Property Insurance Rate Hike

  • The North Carolina Rate Bureau – an agency that represents companies that write insurance policies in the state is requesting an average 42.2 percent rate increase for homeowners’ insurance. Here is a detailed list by cities and counties of the requested increases.
  • If you are comfortable sharing stories about how this would impact you, your community, your business etc – please fill out the following form.
  • AARP has also launched advocacy efforts against this – https://action.aarp.org/NCInsuranceRates

Public comments are being accepted through this Friday, February 2.

 

State Legislative Updates

Relevant NCGA Meetings

 

Local News

  • Wake County Tax Eval – Wake County’s tax evaluations soared in value. Here’s what happened – Axios Raleigh
    • Wake County recently released property reappraisal values. Many residents were shocked to find that on average, property values increased by 51% since the last reevaluation in 2020. This is the largest increase in Wake County’s history. A new property tax rate will be voted on in June so it remains unclear how the reassessment will affect property owners financially.
    • As housing prices continue to rise in the Raleigh area, families are moving further out for more affordable homes. Areas that experienced a recent boom in home construction and population growth generally saw the largest valuation increases. These increases were generally concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the county (Apex, Garner, Fuquay-Varina, Cary, Wendell, Holly Springs, & Knightdale).
  • Advocates talk causes of homelessness, why most plans have failed as Rep. Edwards listens | WLOSS. Rep. Chuck Edwards recently hosted a community forum in Asheville on homelessness in Western NC. Panelists included local government officials from Asheville, Murphy, and Hendersonville, as well as leadership from two area shelters serving people experiencing homelessness. The conversation largely focused on housing affordability and the mismatch between rents and incomes. Edwards vowed to advocate for flexible Federal dollars that would allow WNC to implement locally tailored solutions to homelessness and housing insecurity.
  • Residents of Durham’s JFK Towers File Class Action Lawsuit Against Property Owner Millennia – INDY Week Residents at North Durham’s JFK Towers filed a class action lawsuit recently against Millienia, one of the largest affordable housing management companies in the US. Residents of the 177-unit housing development for low-income disabled and elderly residents report broken elevators, abrupt water shut-offs, excessive late fees, and mismanagement. The management company is currently facing class action lawsuits in 3 other states and HUD is in the process of barring them from participating in Federal programs like Section 8 for the next 5 years.
  • Housing costs still on the rise, WHAC recommends a new affordable housing fund | WHQR Wilmington and New Hanover County’s joint Workforce Advisory Committee recently presented their annual priorities to county commissioners. Their top priority is to create a local housing fund, in addition to enacting a source of income protection policy, diversifying the housing supply, and focusing on data and communications for existing programs.

 

Reports & Resources

 

Events

 

In the News

 

Recommended read

Housing Call: January 23, 2024

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