Organizational Updates
Statement on ICE/CBP Operations in North Carolina
As you’re probably already aware, ICE/CBP is currently active in North Carolina, with a heavy presence in Charlotte over the weekend and plans to be in Raleigh as soon as today. We advocate for affordable housing because we want to see safe, healthy, thriving communities in North Carolina, and operations that include racial profiling, targeted public harassment, and arrests by masked agents only instills fear and jeopardizes the safety and livelihoods of our neighbors. We will continue to monitor ICE/CBP activity in NC and connect with our partners about the impacts of these operations on our communities.
Resources:
- Siembra NC: Hotline number 336-543-0353
- Ojo Obrero
- ACLU Know your rights
Join us Thursday, December 4 from 1:30-3:00 for our virtual End of Year Policy Update, featuring Executive Director Samuel Gunter and Director of Housing Policy Stephanie Watkins-Cruz. Since January, unprecedented Federal policy changes have upended the housing ecosystem, with impacts ranging from the cost of construction to families’ abilities to access essential programs and resources. At the state level, the lack of a budget has put essential housing funds in jeopardy. This End of Year Policy Update will review the changes to Federal and state housing policy and funding so far, examine current threats to the housing ecosystem, and explore how we can prepare for the year ahead. Register now!
Thank You for Joining WHLP Sign On Letter!
Thank you to the 44 organizations and 55 individuals who signed onto our letter to the NC General Assembly in support of the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP)! As we coordinate some final signatures we continue to monitor the NCGA’s schedule for a strategic opportunity to circulate the letter to key leadership.
Federal Updates
HUD Issues CoC NOFO
In a disappointing but anticipated move, the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) issued a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) last week that will drastically reduce permanent housing funding for Continuums of Care (CoCs) and instead move the funding to Transitional Housing with work requirements – a decision that HUD staff estimate could put more than 170,000 people at risk of homelessness. The NOFO includes problematic new scoring criteria that could place existing funding at risk because of factors outside of the CoC’s control, such as whether or not there is a prohibition on public camping that covers the full CoC geographic area. The NOFO timeline is also a source of concern. Although this NOFO is for 2025 funding, HUD has said the award date will be no sooner than May 1, 2026. As a result, many CoCs will run out of funding, leading to critical service disruption. There is some bipartisan support to stop the NOFO changes. Last month, more than 20 Republicans in Congress drafted a letter asking HUD Secretary Scott Turner to grant a 1-year extension to all HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) grants expiring in 2026.
Call to Action: The National Alliance to End Homelessness is calling on advocates to contact their members of Congress and ask them to take action to stop HUD’s CoC NOFO changes.
The Federal Shutdown
After six weeks, the longest shutdown in Federal history has come to an end. Last week, Senate Republicans won the votes of 7 Democrats and 1 Independent, which gave them the minimum votes needed to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR). The House then passed the spending bill in a vote of 222-209 and it was signed into law.
What this Continuing Resolution (CR) Does and Doesn’t Do
The CR temporarily funds the Federal government through January 30. Alongside the CR, Congress passed a “minibus” that provides the full fiscal year’s funding for Veterans’ Affairs, Agriculture, and legislative operations. The spending package provides SNAP funding through September 2026 (the end of the fiscal year) and reimburses states for money spent to maintain SNAP programs during the shutdown. In addition, it provides legally required backpay for Federal workers and reverses layoffs that the Trump administration implemented at the start of the shutdown in October.
The CR does not extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire at the end of the calendar year. As a result, annual health insurance premiums for North Carolinians who buy their insurance on the Marketplace will increase by an average of $670. The CR also does not prevent the Trump administration from rescinding previously committed funds.
What Now?
Congress now has until January 30 to either pass the remaining 9 spending bills, pass another CR, or enter another shutdown.
State Updates
Legislative Update
Last week, Governor Stein requested that the General Assembly reconvene for a special session yesterday on fully funding Medicaid and reversing provider payment cuts. Republican legislators rejected the Governor’s request, but a group of Democrats gathered to gavel in and out. Both the House and Senate previously indicated there will not be any more votes until January.
Upcoming Meeting on Hurricane Response and Recovery
The Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operation – Subcommittee on Hurricane Response and Recovery will meet in Greenville, NC at ECU on Thursday, November 20 at 10:00am. Watch it here.
State & Local Headlines
Gaston student homelessness broader than testing data initially suggests, more than 900 affected | Gaston Gazette
Mobile home park community stung by landlord’s order | The Charlotte Post
Bethesda Center drops affordable housing involvement | WFDD
Dare commissioners make financial moves | The Coastland Times
Reports & Resources
Resources for Disaster Response, Recovery, and Resilience: A Toolkit for Advocates and Community-Based Organizations | National Low Income Housing Coalition
This comprehensive toolkit supports advocates before and after disasters, addressing short-term and long-term recovery, resilience, and mitigation. Disasters often lead to housing instability, homelessness, and permanent displacement, and they frequently worsen existing racial and social inequities. We encourage advocates to utilize this new toolkit to inform policymakers, the general public, and other stakeholders about systemic barriers to equitable disaster housing recovery and the necessary steps to reform the national disaster housing recovery framework.
Webinars
Lessons from Local Housing Bond Efforts in North Carolina | Thursday, November 20, 12 – 1 pm. Register here.
Join Carolina Across 100’s Our State, Our Homes initiative for a free public webinar on how North Carolina communities can pursue housing bonds to expand affordable housing. This session will explore what it takes to get a housing bond on the ballot, build community support, and navigate the technical and political steps along the way. Speakers will share what their communities learned through both successful and unsuccessful bond efforts, offering insights for others considering similar paths. Panelists include Sarah Viñas from the Town of Chapel Hill, Heather Whelehan from the Town of Cary, and Andy Barnett from Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. There will be time for audience Q&A.
NC Women’s Affordable Housing Network Virtual Session: Closing Strong, Opening Clear | November 20 at noon. Learn more and register here. Registration cost: $10.
National Women’s Affordable Housing Network Virtual Session: 2025 Q4 Policy Update | December 2 at noon. Learn more and register here. Cost is $50 for nonmembers, WAHM members receive a discount – be on the lookout for the code in this week’s Breakfast Bites newsletter. Policy updates featuring affordable housing experts Emily Cadik and Jennifer Schwartz.
Events
2025 Enterprise Faith-Based Development Initiative Summit (Virtual) | Enterprise Community Partners, December 4 from 12-3:30 p.m. Register here.
Housing Policy Forum & Capitol Hill Day 2026 | National Low Income Housing Coalition, March 10-13, 2026 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Learn more and register here.
Just Economy Conference 2026 | National Community Reinvestment Coalition, April 14-15, 2026 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Learn more and register here.
