Carolina Across 100 begins focus on housing
The initiative will work with communities across the state to improve affordable housing access and availability.
港澳图库-Chapel Hill鈥檚 Carolina Across 100 initiative announced its fifth program this week: : Partnering to Address Housing Needs in North Carolina.鈥疶he program receives support from the 港澳图库 School of Government鈥檚鈥痑nd other campus partners.
According to鈥痶he U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an estimated 30%鈥�痚ither struggle to afford their homes or are living in substandard and/or overcrowded housing. For low- and moderate-income households, the share of households with housing needs jumps to nearly 85%.
鈥淚n surveys and conversations across North Carolina, community leaders have named housing as one of the top challenges they face today,鈥� said鈥�, lead coordinator of Carolina Across 100 and ncIMPACT director. 鈥淢any of these leaders voice concerns that the tight housing market in the state will negatively impact local job creation, retention and productivity. With the vast expertise of faculty, staff and students in many subject areas, 港澳图库 is well-positioned to support our communities as they consider the many implications of housing markets.鈥�
Over the course of this 18-month program, Carolina Across 100 will bring together entities from across campus to facilitate cross-sector collaboration among selected community teams comprised of a diverse set of stakeholders including鈥痩ocal government agencies, housing developers, builders, financial institutions, supportive service providers, employers, faith-based and community organizations and more.
Because housing is a multifaceted challenge, this program will bring together leaders from a wide range of experiences and disciplines. Partners from across the University, including the College of Arts and Sciences鈥� city and regional planning department, 港澳图库 Kenan-Flagler Business School and the 港澳图库 School of Medicine, will be active in sharing research and expertise throughout this pan-University effort.
鈥淐arolina Across 100 is one of the many ways that Carolina partners with communities to respond to critical challenges facing the people of North Carolina,鈥� said鈥�. 鈥淏y working alongside local leaders who share their ideas and experiences, we are developing answers together. Housing needs are pervasive across our state and this new program will鈥痓ring resources and expertise from across Carolina鈥痶o help communities respond to those needs.鈥�
Through this program, participating communities will deepen their understanding of housing issues in their local contexts, learn about tools to improve community conversations around housing needs, identify local partners and resources, and increase knowledge and capacity to implement strategies for improving housing affordability. The information will be shared publicly to help additional communities in North Carolina address their housing needs.
鈥淲ith limited supply, rising costs, and other issues, meeting local needs for safe, accessible and affordable housing is a challenge for community leaders,鈥� said鈥�, DFI director. 鈥淲e are eager to bring them together in this statewide effort to learn from each other, sharing ideas and building the tools, resources and connections we need to advance local progress on addressing housing needs.鈥�
鈥淭he cornerstone of any successful community housing initiative has always been the collective action of key stakeholders 鈥� builders, landlords,鈥痳esidents,鈥痜aith communities, governments and charitable organizations,鈥� said鈥�, faculty lead for DFI and the David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government. 鈥淭his initiative aims to bring those stakeholders together, helping them unite around the most pressing housing issues facing their community today and empowering them to launch collaborative efforts tailored to the unique social and economic realities of their community.鈥�
The Carolina Across 100 team is postponing the application deadline for the Our State, Our Homes program to give communities time to react and respond to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. We will also host an additional virtual information session for potential applicants. Please find an updated list of program dates below.
- Oct. 9, 12 p.m.: Our State, Our Homes
- [TBD]: Our State, Our Homes Information Session 2
- Nov. 22: for Our State, Our Homes
- Mid-December: Announcement of teams selected to participate in the Our State, Our Homes program
- January 2025: Our State, Our Homes programming begins
