Affordable Housing

In the year since George Floyd’s murder, Habitat Wake staff and partners have banded together like never before. We took opportunities for collective and individual grief, prayer and reflection. 

The pandemic recovery for this community has a much steeper climb than the rest of Raleigh and much of North Carolina.

Families across North Carolina have been experiencing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, but not at the same rates. Southeast Raleigh is leading the state in COVID-19 cases, totaling over 7,500 cases in the 26710 zip code. This heightened rate of infection is connected to several factors and is worrisome for the long-term health and general well-being of families in the community. 

(Pictured above is long-time congressional affordable housing leader and North Carolina congressman, Rep. David Price with advocates from Habitat for Humanity International and Habitat Wake.)

By Holly Gallagher

Having an affordable place to call home is essential. That is why we will be joining over 700 Habitat advocates at our annual legislative conference, Habitat on the Hill, to virtually meet with lawmakers in Congress to push for affordable housing policies to benefit our communities.    

Here’s what we will be asking for:

By Holly Gallagher, Habitat Wake advocacy coordinator

2020 is soon coming to an end, but COVID-19 will follow us into the new year. Reported case numbers are still on the rise; North Carolina actually experienced a record-high day with 6,495 new cases, which is the highest single-day increase since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Our organization is proud of our contribution to the affordable housing efforts in Wake and Johnston Counties and beyond. Our work spans multiple areas of advocacy, and it helps make neighborhoods safer and more prosperous for families. From speed bumps to the $80M affordable housing bond, our team is dedicated to ensuring a better, more stable future for families in our community.

Below are a few highlights from FY2020

We secured several wins at the local and state level including:

After months of anticipation, the 2020 election has come to a close. We are excited to report that North Carolinians made their voices heard at the ballot box, with a voter turnout rate of 75.3 percent, an increase of over six percent from 2016! 

Why do election results matter?

Elected officials at all levels of government influence affordable housing. Ongoing decisions, like state or federal appropriations for affordable housing programs may be changed by our updated legislatures. The choices made by our lawmakers have a significant impact on us and our community. 

Everyone deserves the personal and economic stability of a safe, affordable home.

For a home to be affordable, housing expenses must be less than 30 percent of a family's income. In Wake and Johnston counties, one in four families spends too much of their income on housing, leaving little left over for other necessities like food, transportation, education and healthcare.

As the economic impacts of COVID-19 continue to unfold, the number of families struggling to make ends meet will only grow, creating an even more urgent need for better housing solutions.

By Habitat Wake President & CEO, Bill Ahern

Each year, tens of thousands of people in our community come together to build Habitat homes. Donors, volunteers, faith groups, and of course, the Habitat home buyers themselves, frame walls, shingle roofs and put up siding. Our homes, which are beautiful and affordable, are the work of many hands. They are the work of people in our community who show up for their neighbors.