Gov. Josh Stein is in western North Carolina this week for a visit focused on rural issues.
On Monday, he held a roundtable in the town of Marion with more than a dozen local business, government and nonprofit leaders. Several participants said housing remains a crucial challenge in their communities.
Kim Effler, president and CEO of the McDowell County Chamber of Commerce, said access to workforce housing is the number‑one concern cited by major employers in the county.
“This must be on our radar … to retain and attract jobs in rural communities like McDowell,” Effler said.
About one‑third of North Carolina’s population — roughly 3.5 million people — lives in rural areas, more than any other state except Texas. Stein plans to hold several more listening sessions in rural counties over the coming months.
On Tuesday, the governor is scheduled to visit Avery County for an event focused on water infrastructure. He will then travel to Asheville to address the Visit NC Tourism Conference in the afternoon.