Our Neighbors, Inc.

The North Carolina Housing Coalition, NCHC (nchousing.org) has released its annual report on
housing costs with some basic analysis:
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Highlight: County Profiles are an accessible tool that advocates and organizations alike can use to communicate the housing need within their counties to a range of audiences, from community partners to local and state elected officials. Each County Profile provides a data snapshot of the county’s housing need, including the percent of residents who are cost-burdened, the income needed to afford Fair Market Rent, and where the county ranks in evictions compared to the rest of the state.
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Something has to be said about Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland counties after reading this report.
in Gaston County, a working wage of $29.88 per hour is needed to afford a two bedroom apartment.
Cleveland County comes in a little lower at $16.46 per hour, and Lincoln County, is $20.94 per hour.

Gaston's top employer, Caromont Health, starting wage is roughly $16.00 per hour. They are competing
against Atrium Health and Novant for qualified healthcare workers in each of the counties.

If you read the county profiles through this link, you will also see average wages for
school teachers, firefighters, and childcare workers.

The pressure on the community continues to build.
Our Neighbors, Inc. is caught in that process. We have average rents below $800 per month for our 2-Bedroom apartments and below $700/month for our
1-Bedroom apartments. Most of our residents in the Supportive Housing program receive rental assistance from
third-party housing choice vouchers. Total Tenant Payment (TTP) average is $375.
75% of the residents of Our Neighbors, Inc., managed properties are working outside the home.

Just Released: 2024 County Profiles – North Carolina Housing Coalition Today we are releasing the 2024 County Profiles for North Carolina and all 100 counties across the state. County Profiles are an accessible tool that advocates and organizations alike can … Continued

“When Will Enough Be Enough?” USICH Director Delivers Remarks at Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service Today, on this Homeless Persons' Memorial Day, USICH Executive Director Jeff Olivet will deliver remarks at the Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service in Washington, D.C.

This plan has been in the works for a while. It supports the idea of a vibrant and walkable downtown.
It also keeps the current amenities of the town as the centerpiece and its current "vibe".
Now, if we can get some road improvements to handle the growth of traffic...

New urban fabric planned for old textile town A plan is moving forward in Belmont, North Carolina—one of the first communities to adopt a form-based code—that would double the size of the downtown and extend the street grid.

Over the past three years, the nonprofit sector has undergone a profound change. A new study, spanning 2020 to 2023, examines the changes nonprofits made in response to COVID-19 and looks at the characteristics of the most adaptive nonprofits.

How did nonprofits change because of COVID-19? - Independent Sector Authored by Dr. Mirae Kim (George Mason University), IS visiting scholar, and co-author Dr. Dyana P. Mason (University of Oregon) Over the past three years, the nonprofit sector has undergone a profound change. A new study, spanning 2020 to 2023, examines the changes nonprofits made in response to C...

Step 1: Get the Information and Develop a Plan
Appoint a point person or team to learn your state’s requirements and distribute info to clients
Partner with local organizations that provide voter registration
Contact your local or state election office to:
· Learn your state’s eligibility rules, address requirements, and identification requirements
· Determine the process for online and paper form registration
· Learn the registration deadlines and get started ASAP
Step 2: Register Your Client to Vote
Engage with your clients about voting, and familiarize yourself with common registration scenarios:
· Client wants to vote, but is unsure of their registration status
· Client is registered, but needs to change their information
· Client is registered, but has moved permanently to another state
Assist your client with their registration using online or paper forms
Contact the local election office regarding any questions related to address requirements
Help your client attain the proper identification
Step 3: Get Out the Vote
Engage with your clients early and often
Explore early voting options
Know the facts on mail-in voting
Share all relevant info for in-person voting, including:
· Voter rights
· Provisional ballot options
· Precinct locations
· Transportation needs
· ADA regulations for clients with disabilities
· Potential ID requirements
· Social distancing and mask regulations
· Election protection hotlines (866-OUR-VOTE)

Homeownership is vital to building wealth, and there is significant room to improve non-white homeownership in the United States.

Racial Disparities in Homeownership

Fair Market Rents published, effective October 1, 2023

HUD Updates Fair Market Rents; Makes $113 Million Available in Affordable Housing Vouchers HUD No. 23-186 HUD Public Affairs (202) 708-0685 FOR RELEASE Thursday August 31, 2023 HUD Updates Fair Market Rents; Makes $113 Million Available in Affordable Housing Vouchers Department increases Fair Market Rents by 12 percent on average across the U.S., releases vouchers to 36 states to help mor...

Robert Kellogg is a candidate for mayor of Gastonia in the next election.
Good thoughts here:

A plan for a diverse Gastonia economy Gastonia was incorporated in January of 1877. Since that day, our city

August 15, 2023
PRESS RELEASE
COUNTY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COLLABORATE TO HELP THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AT HOPE FEST

GASTONIA, N.C. – Are you or someone you know experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness? Mark your calendar: on Thursday, September 14th, 2023, Hope Fest will convene health and public assistance agencies from all over Gaston County at First United Methodist Church on East Franklin Blvd, offering health, hope, and help to our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Agencies will be offering information about services and connecting people to the help they need on-site. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the public will have the opportunity to talk to government, faith-based, and nonprofit agencies on the spot.
What to Expect at Hope Fest
Hope Fest visitors will have access to help right away. Free laundry, showers, and lunch will be available while supplies last. Healthcare agencies including Gaston County Health and Human Services, Kintegra, HealthNet Gaston, and Partners Behavioral Health will be offering health screenings, testing, vaccinations, and scheduling appointments for follow-up physical health, mental health, and dental care. The faith and philanthropy communities are coming together to offer a “Free Store,” where visitors may choose needed essentials such as health and hygiene products.
Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with agencies who offer ongoing assistance, even after this one-time event is over. Agencies will offer eligibility screenings for Medicaid and food stamp/EBT enrollment. Volunteers will be on-site to advise visitors in securing identification, which is frequently required to access services. Agencies affiliated with the Gaston-Lincoln-Cleveland Continuum of Care will be available to offer referrals to other ongoing assistance. Visitors interested in education or job placement will be able to speak with representatives from Gaston College, Goodwill Industries, and the County’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity program.
There will also be services and activities for children through Keep Gastonia Beautiful and the Gaston County Public Library. Pets are also invited to join Hope Fest.
Homelessness Prevention Committee: an Ongoing Collaboration
The idea for Hope Fest began through the work of the Homelessness Prevention Committee (HPC). The purpose of the HPC is to improve collaboration between governments and nonprofits in the County, working together to address homelessness on an ongoing basis.
This is the second year of Hope Fest. The HPC is also responsible for organizing a cold weather shelter during the winter months, as well as an ongoing “One-Stop Shop” for those in need. At the One-Stop Shop, staff from several local agencies are available to meet in-person to assist in navigating the system of services available to in Gaston County, such as healthcare, counseling, and social services. It is located in the cafeteria of the Salvation Army Center of Hope in downtown Gastonia every Tuesday and Thursday from 11am-1pm.
Hope Fest highlights the good work of community agencies who are already working to address homelessness, but also demonstrates the power of inter-agency collaboration. This event will be an opportunity for people experiencing homelessness, as well as those at risk of losing their housing, to learn about services available to them in Gaston County.
Where: First United Methodist Church, West Parking Lot, 190 E. Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052
When: Thursday, September 14th, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
What: People who are currently homeless, at risk of homelessness, or otherwise underserved are invited to attend Hope Fest to access and enroll in healthcare and public assistance. Attendees should bring identification, if available, but will not be required to present identification to enter. Children and pets are welcome.
Contact: Gregory Grier, Ed.D, Director of Community Support Services for Gaston County Department of Social Services; 704-862-6735; [email protected].

https://gastongazette-nc.newsmemory.com?selDate=20230728&goTo=A01&artid=0

Honey Hunters report financial struggle

Baseball team in debt over unpaid fees due to Gaston County

Gaston Gazette This full replica of our printed product provides you the newspaper as you know and love it from the convenience of the web.

Data released Monday by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services showed that about 35,099 people lost coverage in June. The department initially predicted a total of 300,000 people could lose coverage over the course of the yearlong unwinding, but if June is any indicator, the total could end up much higher.

New DHHS numbers show thousands of people lost Medicaid in June As the state starts to recertify all of NC’s Medicaid recipients, many ‘procedural’ problems result in coverage termination.

Interesting development - Our Neighbors, Inc. parking lot is apparently a dump site for our Gaston County - probably Gastonia - "neighbors" - people who do not know that dumping an upright freezer is a free thing at the Gaston County Recycling Centers - - let's give a big hand to our government and schools for their "outreach/educational" efforts.

This may be something that the Faith, Hope, and Love program in Gastonia may want to look at closely.
Also the Trailhead program in Shelby.

The little-noticed court decision that changed homelessness in America Is there a right to sleep outside?

Sharing the Solutions highlights practitioners and consumers across the justice system taking a deep dive into promising practices and next steps toward local collaborations. Each module shares different perspectives, connection to further resources, and recommendations you may share with your communities to join in being a part of the solution. Discussing how this resource can be used by police officers interested in learning how they can develop or expand their practices, Officer Nathan Schwiethale of the Wichita (Kansas) Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team (H.O.T.) and a Sharing the Solution Advisory Board member shares, “This toolkit is instrumental in my work with our police homeless outreach team. I recommend it to every agency.”

Sharing the Solutions: Police-Court Partnerships to Address Homelessness To obtain details on COPS Office programs, publications, and resources, contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or [email protected]

https://nchousing.org/what-if-considering-a-dedicated-revenue-source-for-the-nc-housing-trust-fund/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blog

What If? Considering a dedicated revenue source for the NC Housing Trust Fund – North Carolina Housing Coalition This blog post was jointly authored by the NC Housing Coalition and the NC Budget & Tax Center (BTC) a non-partisan organization that works to document fiscal and economic conditions … Continued

https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2023/07/06/group-seeking-help-to-open-drug-rehab-facility-in-gastonia/70383015007/

Group seeking help to open drug rehab facility in Gastonia A former assisted living facility in Gastonia sits empty. A local nonprofit has a plan for it.

https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/7-principles-for-addressing-encampments/

As the City of Gastonia, and other cities in our 3-county Continuum of Care struggle to address homeless encampments, here are some things to consider:
Principle 1: Establish a Cross-Agency, Multi-Sector Response
Principle 2: Engage Encampment Residents to Develop Solutions
Principle 3: Conduct Comprehensive and Coordinated Outreach
Principle 4: Address Basic Needs and Provide Storage
Principle 5: Ensure Access to Shelter or Housing Options
Principle 6: Develop Pathways to Permanent Housing and Supports
Principle 7: Create a Plan for What Will Happen to Encampment Sites After Closure

7 Principles for Addressing Encampments | United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) This USICH guidance, available as a PDF, is intended to help communities facing a crisis of unsheltered homelessness. Local decision-makers are caught between demands for swift action and the reality that permanent, sustainable solutions—housing with...

Area residents are sought to give input on Gastonia's Affordable Housing Study.
Congrats to the Belmont (Charlotte) CDC for their effort in the Highland community.
Welcome to the neighborhood!

Gastonia looks to public for input on affordable housing Chloe CollinsGaston Gazette USA TODAY NETWORK The city of Gastonia rec

https://www.csh.org/2023/01/michigan-legislature-allocates-historic-6m-in-funding-for-supportive-housing-services/

Michigan Distributes $6M to Boost Supportive Housing Services
In Michigan, four Supportive Housing providers across the state will begin to receive distributions related to the "Permanent Supportive Housing" (PSH) pilot with $6 million in appropriations that the state legislature established in January. The funding came from the state's FY23 budget. CSH worked closely with housing organizations, MDHHS, and state Senator Jeff Irwin (D), who sponsored the bill, to establish the pilot and funding.

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) is managing the funds and started to distribute the funds in June. Beginning in February, supportive housing projects around the state had an opportunity to apply for special funding while demonstrating a track record of success in helping people exit homelessness. The funding will boost services and add capacity, including hiring more caseworkers and staff to reduce caseload sizes and enhance the range of services they provide.

The supportive housing providers receiving the funding are:
Avalon Housing (Ann Arbor)
COTS (Detroit)
Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing (Traverse City)
Ruth Ellis Center (Detroit)
"The state's investment is following a trend among other jurisdictions and a growing acknowledgment that states have chronically underfunded supportive housing services. An abundance of rigorous data shows that sufficient funding and ongoing support services can reduce long-term homelessness, improve lives, and reduce overall public costs," said Catherine Distelrath, Director, CSH Michigan.

Michigan Legislature Allocates Historic $6M in Funding for Supportive Housing Services - CSH State Senator Jeff Irwin, CSH, and state service and housing providers partner to pave the way for unprecedented funding. The Michigan Legislature appropriated a historic $6 Million in its FY23 budget to expand supportive housing services. The state allocated the funds to the Michigan Department of....

Great cities have a mixture of housing opportunities which lead to diverse and vibrant citizens. A community full of 1 million square foot warehouses is not a good example of "mixture of housing opportunity". Incentives for developers and property owners are generally good ideas. Neighborhood groups need to consider all options rather than continue the not-in-my-backyard attitude.

Creating the city we want through ‘incentive zoning’ - SaportaReport Read Creating the city we want through ‘incentive zoning’ by Maria Saporta for SaportaReport here.