We recently received a call from Donald, a retired veteran in a wheelchair living on a fixed income. The distress in his voice was palpable. He’d been living with his daughter for 13 years but a series of unfortunate events meant he now had to find a new home.
He needed:
• an apartment with rent and utilities less than $400 per month
• a deposit equal to the rent
• wheelchair accessibility
• proximity to a grocery store, his doctor’s offices and a pharmacy
With a little creative networking, we connected Donald with an agency that helped pay his deposit and a housing development that matched his needs. When he called back to let everyone know he had found a place you could hear him smiling and he said, “y’all have been so great. You’ve done so much to help me, I owe you a Christmas present.”
Everyone at the Coalition smiled too. Of course, he doesn’t owe anyone a Christmas present, it’s what we do. But, we couldn’t do this work without your support.
Please make a personal contribution today and help us continue to connect clients with the help they need and create lasting change. All North Carolinians
deserve a decent, safe place to lay their heads at night.
Many thanks and warm regards,
Ben Collins
Board Chair, North Carolina Housing Coalition
Click here to donate online!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Housing Matters 8.17.2010
It's busy here as we're processing conference registrations and getting our panelists together to finalize workshop presentations. Two important notes on the Affordable Housing Conference - please make room reservations at the Sheraton, and please nominate someone you think should be recognized as volunteer and professional of the year in the world of affordable housing. Click here for more information.
In the last issue of Housing Matters, I mentioned that I spoke on the News & Views radio program hosted by Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch. To listen to the interview, click here.
Special thanks to Griff Gatewood, who is leaving CASA in Raleigh for Duke Divinity School. Griff did a great job at CASA working on the front lines of providing housing options for persons with disabilities. Though we're sorry to see him go, we wish him all the best as he moves on to this new chapter in his life and career.
Many times during the course of two weeks, I attend meetings covering a wide array of issues connected with housing. Last week, I gave two presentations that connected transportation, housing, and sustainable communities. The first was to the LUCID working group of the Triangle J Council of Governments. This group brought together area land-use and transit planners for a discussion on the importance of transportation access to affordable housing. The other meeting was NC-DHHS' event, “NC Active Living Leadership Forum.” The Governor’s cabinet secretaries, senior staff, and many legislators attended, and there was a high-level discussion on what makes healthy, sustainable communities. I was pleased to be able to bring the issues of equity and housing for low- and moderate-income people into their conversation.
Tomorrow, I'm headed to Philadephia for a NeighborWorks Symposium on Sustainable Development and Affordable Housing. Next week, I'll be in Durham for a state-level conversation led by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation on racial wealth disparities in our nation and state.
NCHC Annual Campaign
By now, all of you should have received an attractive mailer from us asking for your financial support. We'd like to thank everyone for supporting the Housing Coalition as organizational members. However, we rely on your personal contributions as well. Our goal is to expand our capacity to support local housing advocacy efforts across the state that will promote more affordable housing development in more integrated settings. I want to thank Anne Ehlers for her great work on the Campaign! Please note that the clear envelope is recyclable! To donate online, please click here.
NC 2010 Affordable Housing Conference – Sept. 16-17th, Raleigh
Thanks to all of you who've already registered for this year’s Annual Affordable Housing Conference. The Conference is several weeks earlier this year so be sure to register now to get the lower registration rates. Together with CICCAR and NCHFA, we’ll again be hosting the conference at the Raleigh Convention Center on September 16-17th. Click here for all the information and to register. There are still rooms available at the Sheraton hotel.
Each year at our Annual Conference, we recognize those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to advocate for affordable housing. We're asking for nominees for our Volunteer and Professional of the Year Awards. Winners will be recognized at the Coalition’s luncheon on the second day. Please nominate someone you think is deserving. Click here for more details.
NC Housing News
As mentioned in last week's Housing Matters, the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance will be hosting Fair Housing Roundtables across the state to get public input on the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing in NC. It's very important that your stories be recorded so we can highlight areas that need attention, and eventually establish a Fair Housing Enforcement Center in NC. Please plan on attending one of these roundtables listed in the Announcements below.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Chris Estes
Executive Director
In the last issue of Housing Matters, I mentioned that I spoke on the News & Views radio program hosted by Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch. To listen to the interview, click here.
Special thanks to Griff Gatewood, who is leaving CASA in Raleigh for Duke Divinity School. Griff did a great job at CASA working on the front lines of providing housing options for persons with disabilities. Though we're sorry to see him go, we wish him all the best as he moves on to this new chapter in his life and career.
Many times during the course of two weeks, I attend meetings covering a wide array of issues connected with housing. Last week, I gave two presentations that connected transportation, housing, and sustainable communities. The first was to the LUCID working group of the Triangle J Council of Governments. This group brought together area land-use and transit planners for a discussion on the importance of transportation access to affordable housing. The other meeting was NC-DHHS' event, “NC Active Living Leadership Forum.” The Governor’s cabinet secretaries, senior staff, and many legislators attended, and there was a high-level discussion on what makes healthy, sustainable communities. I was pleased to be able to bring the issues of equity and housing for low- and moderate-income people into their conversation.
Tomorrow, I'm headed to Philadephia for a NeighborWorks Symposium on Sustainable Development and Affordable Housing. Next week, I'll be in Durham for a state-level conversation led by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation on racial wealth disparities in our nation and state.
NCHC Annual Campaign
By now, all of you should have received an attractive mailer from us asking for your financial support. We'd like to thank everyone for supporting the Housing Coalition as organizational members. However, we rely on your personal contributions as well. Our goal is to expand our capacity to support local housing advocacy efforts across the state that will promote more affordable housing development in more integrated settings. I want to thank Anne Ehlers for her great work on the Campaign! Please note that the clear envelope is recyclable! To donate online, please click here.
NC 2010 Affordable Housing Conference – Sept. 16-17th, Raleigh
Thanks to all of you who've already registered for this year’s Annual Affordable Housing Conference. The Conference is several weeks earlier this year so be sure to register now to get the lower registration rates. Together with CICCAR and NCHFA, we’ll again be hosting the conference at the Raleigh Convention Center on September 16-17th. Click here for all the information and to register. There are still rooms available at the Sheraton hotel.
Each year at our Annual Conference, we recognize those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to advocate for affordable housing. We're asking for nominees for our Volunteer and Professional of the Year Awards. Winners will be recognized at the Coalition’s luncheon on the second day. Please nominate someone you think is deserving. Click here for more details.
NC Housing News
As mentioned in last week's Housing Matters, the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance will be hosting Fair Housing Roundtables across the state to get public input on the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing in NC. It's very important that your stories be recorded so we can highlight areas that need attention, and eventually establish a Fair Housing Enforcement Center in NC. Please plan on attending one of these roundtables listed in the Announcements below.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Chris Estes
Executive Director
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Housing Matters 8.3.10
I can’t believe it's August already! Typically, this has been one of our slower months, but that's definitely not going to be the case this year, as we prepare for the Annual Affordable Housing Conference and many other meetings across the state!
Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting to a Just Economics leadership class in Asheville. Just Economics takes grassroots leaders through a series of workshops to empower them to be more effective and active advocates for their communities around the issue of living wage jobs and sustainable community development.
I also spoke on the News & Views radio program hosted by Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch. I've been a regular guest on his show, and this time we discussed the current housing market, foreclosures, the need for more affordable rental housing, the Homeowner Protection Act, and our upcoming Affordable Housing Conference. We will post a link to the interview next week on our website, Facebook page, and Blog.
I also appeared on the St. Augustines’ morning radio program hosted by George Hausen, Director of Legal Aid of NC and fair housing advocate Octavia Rainey. We discussed how failing to integrate affordable housing in fast-growing areas is the underlying issue to the school assignment question for Wake County Schools.
New NCHC Program: Manufactured Home Communities Advisors!
I'm excited to announce that the NC Housing Coalition has been selected by Resident Owned Communities USA as a Technical Assistance Program Affiliate. We'll receive a $50,000 grant from the Corporation for Enterprise Development to work with residents of manufactured home communities to convert their parks into resident-owned co-operatives and their homes into appreciating assets. We've hired Kevin Drexel from Asheville to lead this multistate (NC, SC, TN, KY) effort. Kevin spent two years working with us on converting a park in Burnsville, NC to a community land trust in order to preserve the land and homes of the residents.
We will be featuring this new program in a workshop at our conference. If you are a local community organization or local government official, we hope you'll attend to learn more about how you can work with Kevin on this effort.
NCHC Annual Campaign
By now, all of you should have received an attractive mailer from us asking for your financial support. We'd like to thank everyone for supporting the Housing Coalition as organizational members. However, we rely on your personal contributions as well. Our goal is to expand our capacity to support local housing advocacy efforts across the state that will promote more affordable housing development in more integrated settings. I want to thank Anne Ehlers for her great work on the Campaign! Please note that the clear envelope is recyclable!
NC 2010 Affordable Housing Conference – Sept. 16-17th, Raleigh
Thanks to all of you who've already registered for this year’s Annual Affordable Housing Conference. The Conference is several weeks earlier this year so be sure to register now to get the lower registration rates. Together with CICCAR and NCHFA, we’ll again be hosting the conference at the Raleigh Convention Center on September 16-17th. Click here for all the information and to register. There are still rooms available at the Sheraton hotel.
Each year at our Annual Conference, we recognize those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to advocate for affordable housing. We're asking for nominees for our Volunteer and Professional of the Year Awards. Winners will be recognized at the Coalition’s luncheon on the second day. Please nominate someone you think is deserving. Click here for more details.
NC Housing News
As mentioned in last week's Housing Matters, the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance will be hosting Fair Housing Roundtables across the state to get public input on the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing in NC. It's very important that your stories be recorded in the Analysis of Impediment so we can highlight areas that need attention and eventually establish a Fair Housing Enforcement Center in NC. Please keep an eye on our website, as we'll be posting more information as it's available.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Chris Estes
Executive Director
Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting to a Just Economics leadership class in Asheville. Just Economics takes grassroots leaders through a series of workshops to empower them to be more effective and active advocates for their communities around the issue of living wage jobs and sustainable community development.
I also spoke on the News & Views radio program hosted by Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch. I've been a regular guest on his show, and this time we discussed the current housing market, foreclosures, the need for more affordable rental housing, the Homeowner Protection Act, and our upcoming Affordable Housing Conference. We will post a link to the interview next week on our website, Facebook page, and Blog.
I also appeared on the St. Augustines’ morning radio program hosted by George Hausen, Director of Legal Aid of NC and fair housing advocate Octavia Rainey. We discussed how failing to integrate affordable housing in fast-growing areas is the underlying issue to the school assignment question for Wake County Schools.
New NCHC Program: Manufactured Home Communities Advisors!
I'm excited to announce that the NC Housing Coalition has been selected by Resident Owned Communities USA as a Technical Assistance Program Affiliate. We'll receive a $50,000 grant from the Corporation for Enterprise Development to work with residents of manufactured home communities to convert their parks into resident-owned co-operatives and their homes into appreciating assets. We've hired Kevin Drexel from Asheville to lead this multistate (NC, SC, TN, KY) effort. Kevin spent two years working with us on converting a park in Burnsville, NC to a community land trust in order to preserve the land and homes of the residents.
We will be featuring this new program in a workshop at our conference. If you are a local community organization or local government official, we hope you'll attend to learn more about how you can work with Kevin on this effort.
NCHC Annual Campaign
By now, all of you should have received an attractive mailer from us asking for your financial support. We'd like to thank everyone for supporting the Housing Coalition as organizational members. However, we rely on your personal contributions as well. Our goal is to expand our capacity to support local housing advocacy efforts across the state that will promote more affordable housing development in more integrated settings. I want to thank Anne Ehlers for her great work on the Campaign! Please note that the clear envelope is recyclable!
NC 2010 Affordable Housing Conference – Sept. 16-17th, Raleigh
Thanks to all of you who've already registered for this year’s Annual Affordable Housing Conference. The Conference is several weeks earlier this year so be sure to register now to get the lower registration rates. Together with CICCAR and NCHFA, we’ll again be hosting the conference at the Raleigh Convention Center on September 16-17th. Click here for all the information and to register. There are still rooms available at the Sheraton hotel.
Each year at our Annual Conference, we recognize those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to advocate for affordable housing. We're asking for nominees for our Volunteer and Professional of the Year Awards. Winners will be recognized at the Coalition’s luncheon on the second day. Please nominate someone you think is deserving. Click here for more details.
NC Housing News
As mentioned in last week's Housing Matters, the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance will be hosting Fair Housing Roundtables across the state to get public input on the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing in NC. It's very important that your stories be recorded in the Analysis of Impediment so we can highlight areas that need attention and eventually establish a Fair Housing Enforcement Center in NC. Please keep an eye on our website, as we'll be posting more information as it's available.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Chris Estes
Executive Director
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