The North Carolina Housing Coalition has a long and proud history of legislative accomplishments.
For the past three years, we have achieved increased investment in affordable housing at the state level:
- 2014 saw $6.8 million invested in the Housing Trust Fund and $10 million in the Workforce Housing Loan Program.
- This increased to $7.6 million for the Housing Trust Fund and $12.5 million Workforce Housing Loan Program in 2015.
- In 2016, we achieved $7.6 million in the Housing Trust Fund and $20 million in the Workforce Housing Loan Program.
In 2016, we secured $20 million for the NC Housing Trust Fund and $9 million for Emergency Management Services to provide long-term and temporary housing relief to families impacted by Hurricane Matthew, other tropical storms and the western NC wildfires.
Also in 2016, we participated in the affordable housing bond outreach campaigns that led to $50 million dollars of investment in affordable housing in 3 North Carolina communities (Asheville, Greensboro, and Orange County).
We protected the State Fair Housing Act from being repealed in 2015.
Between 2004 and 2006, we coordinated state-wide advocacy to fight elimination of Community Development Block Grant and HUD 811 and 202 programs, USDA housing programs, as well as reduction and change of income targeting of Section 8 programs.
Since 2005, we have led the Campaign for Housing Carolina — a collaborative effort to increase the NC Housing Trust Fund to $50 million annually. Some of our achievements were that we:
- Secured 46 legislative co-sponsors and over 80 endorsing organizations and businesses.
- Produced website and campaign materials, and participated in TV documentary.
- Achieved a $5 million increase for a total of $8 million for 2005-06 and achieved a $16 million increase for a total of $19 million for 2006-07.
We advocated for the 2005 legislation that provided more Consumer Protections in Manufactured Housing:
- Required Manufactured Housing dealers to place buyers’ deposits in escrow accounts.
- Increased resident notification of sale of home parks from 30 days to 180.
- Clarified that no money be paid until final sales contract determined.
- Added housing counselor and accountant to Manufactured Housing Board.
We led the advocacy efforts for the Creation of the Home Protection Pilot Program in 2004, which:
- Responded to large number of mass layoffs due to plant closings and the 189% increase in the number of foreclosures in NC.
- Provides one time or up to 18 months of mortgage assistance to homeowners who have lost their jobs due to no fault of their own.
- Administered by the NC Housing Finance Agency, this program is coupled with a predatory loan buy-out program from the Self Help Credit Union to ensure no assistance is given to continue predatory mortgages.
