Organizational Update
ACTION ALERT: Sign on to Save WHLP
North Carolina still doesn’t have a budget, and the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP) is not included on current budget drafts. Without WHLP, new developments will stall, resulting in construction delays and fewer affordable units across the state. We are sending a letter to state House and Senate leadership later this month urging them to restore full funding for WHLP at $35 million for each year of the biennium so that housing for communities across North Carolina can support our workforce, families, seniors, and more. You have until THIS FRIDAY- October 17, 2025 to be a part of the letter we send to House and Senate Leadership NEXT WEEK. Sign on today!
So far we have over 25 responses, but we know for a fact that we can do better.
And to give you a sense of of who is filling this out – we have people representing:
Syndicators, developers, architecture firms, law firms, nonprofit service providers, Habitat affiliates, and more.
Take Our Network Survey
Please consider taking our NC Housing Coalition network survey so that we can continue to improve our resources.
Federal Updates
Federal Shutdown Impacts Disaster Recovery
We’re entering week 3 of the Federal Government shutdown. The Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC met virtually yesterday and discussed the potential impacts of the shutdown on recovery efforts in WNC. As we mentioned last week, FEMA’s work will continue because it is deemed essential, but the National Flood Insurance Program is unable to renew or enroll new policies during the shutdown.
Housing repair and reconstruction efforts in WNC are relatively unaffected for now because the General Assembly previously committed a small pot of state funds to get the Renew NC program up and running while the state awaits CDBG-DR funds, which are administered by HUD. The shutdown does impact the state’s ability to draw down CDBG-DR funds and with more than 70% of HUD staff furloughed, it’s likely that the timeline for the state to gain access to CDBG-DR funds will be further delayed.
State Updates
NC Legislative Update
NCGA in Session Next Week
The General Assembly will be back in session next week. When they met last month, legislators made a few small adjustments to their meeting schedule from now through late April. Most future dates have shifted by a couple of days but are still within the original weeks that they were scheduled to meet. It is still unclear what the plan or goals for next week will be. Our Policy Director will be there distributing the WHLP sign on letters!
The updated schedule for the remainder of the long session is:
- October 20 – October 23
- November 17 – November 20
- December 15 – December 18
- January 12 – January 15
- February 9 – February 12
- March 9 – March 12
- April 6 – April 9
The 2026 short session will begin on April 21, 2026.
Disaster Recovery
Updates from Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC
Updates from yesterday’s Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC meeting (in addition to Federal shutdown impacts covered above):
- The State is asking the federal government to cover 47% of damages, in line with other major storms. To date, the Federal government has only covered 9% of the storm’s economic damage.
- Paul Reeves, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of NC and Paul Langston with Baptists on Mission provided an update home repair and reconstruction grants their organizations received from the state. Most home repair and reconstruction efforts to-date have been through nonprofit organizations as the state awaits CDBG-DR funds and winds up the ReNew NC home repair and reconstruction program.
- The next Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC meeting will be on Friday, November 14 at 10am at Mayland Community College in Spruce Pine, NC. As usual, the meeting will also be available for public streaming online.
Local Headlines
NC property tax justice coalition notes progress, work still to do | NC Newsline
NC housing organizer’s car destroyed while canvassing with tenants: Investigation ongoing | Asheville Citizen-Times
Home for unhoused veterans still years away from recovery after Hurricane Helene | WBTV
Amid Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis, corporate landlords grow single-family home market share | WCNC
Charlotte’s new medical district is open. Where’s the affordable housing? | North Carolina Health News
Wake women’s shelter looks to replace lost COVID-era funding | Spectrum Local News
Starway Village opens with 400+ applicant list, hailed as affordable housing ‘template’ | Port City Daily
Webinars
Tips and Tricks for Making the Most of the National Housing Preservation Database | National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) & Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC), October 15, 2 p.m. Click here to learn more and register.
The North Carolina Women’s Affordable Housing Network is hosting a virtual intro training to 4% LIHTC in NC led by women driving change in affordable housing next Monday, October 20 from 12-1:30 pm. Registration through Eventbrite is free but space is limited. If you have questions about the event, please contact info@ncwahn.org.
Selecting the Next Round of Opportunity Zones: New Evidence and Field Reflections | Urban Institute, October 29, 1-2:30 p.m. Register here.
Opportunity Zones, the nation’s largest economic development program, have been extended and revised. Importantly, in 2026, governors will nominate the next round of Opportunity Zones, with implications for where private capital flows for years to come. This webinar will share new evidence on Opportunity Zone investment trends and field experience with the incentive to inform how states should decide which places to nominate and how city and county officials and other local stakeholders can help states make strong decision.
Corporate Ownership of Housing: Policy Innovation and Organizing | Urban Institute October 30, 1-2 p.m. Register here.
Events
American Planning Association – North Carolina Chapter (APA-NC) Fall Conference | October 15-17, 2025 in Charlotte. Click here to learn more.
Affordable Housing Seminar: Tools, Strategies, and Case Studies for Local Government Leadership | UNC School of Government, October 16, 2025 in Chapel Hill. Course registration cost: $265. Click here to learn more.
HOPE NC’s Annual Inclusive Housing Summit | November 17 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Cost: $50 (individual), $100 (professional). Click here to learn more.
2025 Conference for North Carolina’s Nonprofits | NC Center for Nonprofits, November 19-20, 2025 in Research Triangle Park. Early bird registration cost (through October 22) is $265. Click here to learn more.
2025 Enterprise Faith-Based Development Initiative Summit (Virtual) | Enterprise Community Partners, December 4 from 12-3:30 p.m. Register here.
Reports & Resources
What You Need to Know about 2025 DDAs and QCTs | Novogradac
On October 13, Novogradac also released their QCT and DDA mapping tool. It’s a bit more user friendly than the HUD mapping tool if you’re looking to see what changed between this year and last year’s designations.
Raleigh surpassed 500,000 people in 2024 | NC OSBM
Article by the State Demographer on their latest municipal population estimates, which show rapid growth in the Triangle continues.
