The North Carolina Housing Coalition was awarded over $1.1M to support homelessness prevention efforts, and to expand access to housing counseling services in marginalized communities throughout North Carolina.
“Stable, affordable housing is central to economic prosperity and community development,” notes NCHC Executive Director Satana Deberry. “We are thrilled to have additional capital to invest in housing counseling services to ensure that renters and future homeowners across the state have the assistance and instruction to access this basic necessity.”
The Coalition received $284,607 through Project Reinvest, an initiative sponsored by NeighborWorks America. These funds will expand housing counseling to help clients stabilize their finances, rebuild their credit, and establish savings. In recognition of the Coalition’s impactful and effective provision of housing counseling services, HUD has also awarded the organization a grant for financial capabilities purposes. This year’s award of $676,208 exceeds that of last year by $100,000, enabling the Coalition to further expand the counseling services necessary to meet the needs of homeowners and renters statewide.
Stable, affordable housing is central to economic prosperity and community development
In addition to receiving funding to advance its commitment to the provision of counseling, the Coalition secured $74,901 in each of fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19 from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to support its new annual conference, Bringing it Home: Ending Homelessness in North Carolina. Designed for homeless service providers, the event attracted over 300 attendees in 2017, and is instrumental in homelessness reduction efforts.
“The Coalition and its partner organization the North Carolina Community Development Initiative strongly believe in the importance of collaboration and sharing best practices,” remarks CEO Tara Kenchen. “Bringing it Homeenables us to create an environment in which we can accomplish both of these goals while addressing one of the most pressing needs in our communities: access to affordable housing.”
The Coalition is grateful to NeighborWorks America, HUD, and DHHS for recognizing the importance of affordable housing, and providing the fiscal support to enable this crucial work.
