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Homelessness + Housing

“My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Isaiah 32:18). This is not a reality in Charlotte.

Many of our fellow citizens have not had the opportunity to find “secure dwellings” due to a history of poverty, race-based deed restrictions, discriminatory lending practices, strict zoning codes, and more. Charlotte has families struggling to meet their rent, and individuals on the street because of a lost job, an unexpected illness, and mental health issues. They are all our brothers and sisters in Christ. As such, we are called to address the systems, economies, and injustices that led to wrongs of the past – and to work together to ensure access to affordable housing for all our neighbors in the future.

Featured Resources

Type of Resource

Time Requirement

Article

Beyond the Ranking: Deeper Lessons from Charlotte’s New Economic Mobility Data, The Charlotte Observer Op Ed

Housing & Homelessness

Highlights and takeaways for Charlotte and the country from the 10 year update on the Chetty Study on Upward Mobility.

5-10 minutes

Article

“Out of Reach,” from Roof Above’s 2×4 Newsletter

Housing & Homelessness

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) just released their annual report on the state of affordable housing nationwide, “Out of Reach 2024: The High Cost of Housing.” The numbers from the report that stand out for me? • The Area Median Income (AMI) for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia households is $106,000. Six figures! Households at AMI can afford a monthly rent of $2,650. • While the average 2-bedroom unit in Mecklenburg rents for $1,554, affordable monthly rent for households at 30% AMI and under – the neighbors we serve at Roof Above — is $795.

Less than 5 minutes

Book

“When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America”

Housing & Homelessness

Roof Above's Summary of the National Low Income Housing Coalition's (NLIHC) annual report on the state of affordable housing nationwide called, “Out of Reach 2024: The High Cost of Housing.”

60+ minutes

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Take Action

Watch discussion on book, "Homelessness is a Housing Problem"

In this talk, Gregg Colburn, an Associate Professor of Real Estate in the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments, discusses findings from Homelessness Is a Housing Problem, a book he co-authored that tests a range of conventional beliefs about what drives the prevalence of homelessness in a city, and what types of policies could address the problem.

Learn About the Housing Trust Fund and Vote for the $100M Housing Bond in November

City Council voted for increasing the 2024 Housing Bond funding from $50 million to $100 million which will be dedicated to creating and preserving affordable housing.

Participate in Second Saturday for Service

9-11am on Aug 10, Sept 14, and Oct 12

Volunteer at Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Free Store. Help receive drive-up donations, sort and hang clothes, stock shelves, make “sewless” blankets, and assist shoppers with their free purchases.