Charlotte Affordable Housing

“People are operating from a sense of fear … especially when it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” is how author and journalist Clint Smith describes the climate in America. Smith, who wrote the bestseller, "How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America," talks to WFAE's Gwendolyn Glenn about the important role history plays in understanding today's America.

The Charlotte City Council voted Monday to spend $3.1 million subsidizing 60 low-income apartments near Johnston Road and Providence Road West. There was little opposition to the project.

A Philadelphia program trains residents how to buy, renovate and sell old homes. It allocates loans and provides expert guidance for the owners' first few projects. It's a model that could be replicated in Charlotte to help with affordable housing.

Asheville may have a model that other North Carolina localities can follow to get around a state restriction many routinely cite as the reason city officials can’t adopt more rules to support affordable housing.

Those working to solve Charlotte’s housing shortage know each additional affordable unit is critical as the population and needs grow. One possible solution is to combine developer-owned land (and interests) with nonprofit-owned land.

As Charlotte looks for ways to address its affordable housing crisis, officials may want to emulate Austin, Texas, where the community is battling gentrification and rising rents.

Charlotte’s lack of affordable housing is clear, as homeless shelters are seeing longer stays and luxury apartments appear to exacerbate gentrification. But the renovation and preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing may be one solution. We speak with local officials and advocates.

Hundreds of Afghan evacuees will arrive in Charlotte over the next few months, but resettlement agencies say the city's lack of affordable housing means many will have to stay in hotels or with family and friends until more units open up.

Habitat for Humanity Charlotte will break ground on a development in west Charlotte on Wednesday. Habitat says this will be its largest development in the Charlotte region.

Charlotte leaders last week announced an effort to wipe out homelessness and expand affordable housing within five years. It's not the first time Charlotte has tried this, but some think this has a better chance at succeeding.