Durham County leaders talk about fighting for affordable housing solutions
CHANGE UNDER LATEST REPORT.
WRAL DOT COM. DURHAM COMMUNITY
CAME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS
ACROSS THE STATES. A RECENT
STUDY BY THE NC CHAMBER FOUND
FOUNDATION FOUND THAT THE STATE
NEEDS 70'S 760,000 NEW HOUSING
UNITS OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS TO
MEET THE NEED TO CROSS ITS 100
COUNTIES. THE BUREAU'S LAURA
LEVINE EXPLAINS THE EFFORT TO
ENGAGE PEOPLE IN FIGHTING FOR
SOLUTIONS IN AREAS WITH THE
GREATEST NEED.
>> WELL, DOZENS OF PEOPLE FEEL
THIS ROOM INSIDE COVENANT
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TO DISCUSS
A LOAN, HARD FOUGHT ISSUE.
PORTABLE HOUSING IS VERY
VALUABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND
PARTICULARLY.
>> BECAUSE WE DO A DESIRE TO
TRANSITION OUT AND BE
FINANCIALLY STABLE. CRYSTAL
GRAVES LIVES AND DURHAM HOUSING
AUTHORITY'S CORNWALLIS ROAD
COMMUNITY.
>> SHE SHARED STRONG REMARKS ON
THIS PANEL MODERATED BY COUNTY
COMMISSIONER MICHELLE BURTON
ABOUT THE DESIRE FOR SO MANY
TO LIVE IN A SAFE, AFFORDABLE
AREA. AND A LOT OF
UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES,
JOBS THAT ARE.
>> I GUESS AVAILABLE TO US ARE
NOT JOBS THAT CAN PAY THE RENT
THAT DURHAM IS CHARGING RIGHT
NOW. SO LEARNING HOW TO HAVE
TRADES LEARNING HOW TO HAVE
SECOND AND COME WITHOUT TAKING
OURSELVES AWAY FROM OUR FAMILY.
SHE SAYS A LACK OF HOUSING HERE
IMPACTS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH.
>> PUSHING FOR UNITS WITH
BETTER ACCESSIBILITY TO
HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND
RESOURCES. THE DEFINITION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS VERY VAST
AND WIDE.
>> BUT THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY
ARE NEEDING HOUSING DON'T
ALWAYS MAKE THE INCOME. THAT'S
NOT TO SAY THEY NEED TO BE
PREPARED AND TO BE EDUCATED,
PROVIDE PROGRAMS TO PREPARE
THEM BECAUSE THEY DESIRE TO
OWN HOMES. THEY DESIRE TO
CHANGE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS IS THE LEAD ORGANIZER WITH
THE DURHAM CAN AN ORGANIZATION
THAT HAS FOUGHT FOR HUNDREDS
OF UNITS. A NEW DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS ACROSS DURHAM. WHAT
DOES IT REQUIRE? WHAT ARE
PEOPLE NEEDING TO KNOW ABOUT
IT? I'M ADVOCATING GOING TO
CITY COUNCIL WHEN PEOPLE NEED.
>> A REAL AFFORDABLE AMOUNT
SAYING NO, WE NEED MORE.
30% VERSUS 80%. DURHAM'S MAYOR
LIA WILLIAMS SAID AT THE
OPENING OF THE LATEST VANGUARD
DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY ARE ABOUT
3,000 HOUSING UNITS COMING IN
THE PIPELINE.
>> ADVOCATES BELIEVE THAT THIS
IS JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE.
THE NEXT STEP IS REALLY JUST
BUILDING THAT POWER CONNECTING
WITH COMMUNITIES LIKE.
>> A QUORUM. WALLACE, LIKE
MCDOUGAL TERRACE LIKE OXFORD
MANOR LIFTING THOSE VOICES TO