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!
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.
Our advocacy team at Habitat Wake has worked hard to collect information on North Carolina's 2020 General Assembly candidates and their stances on affordable housing.
We hope you use this resource to 1.) find your candidates and 2.) discover how they will prioritize the needs of families in your district.
Great news! This month, Habitat for Humanity of Wake County internally promoted three members of leadership into senior leader positions.
Name: Gretta Nance
Title/Company: Brand Director of Amelia Aesthetics and Habitat Wake 2020 Women Build Chair
Best known for / fun facts:
Raleigh voters will consider a bond for affordable housing during this year’s election. If passed, the bond will generate $80 million in funding to create housing opportunities for Raleigh residents.
Habitat Wake supports the Affordable Housing Bond and we encourage you to vote YES to increase access to affordable housing in Raleigh.
Tabatha credits her faith in God for carrying her and keeping her grounded even during her most challenging times. As a mother of three, she is constantly staying busy, making sure all of her children’s needs are met. Tabatha says that the hardest part right now is helping her kids keep up with their virtual learning, especially her youngest son who started kindergarten this year.
Elections give you the power to set priorities on the issues most important to you for years to come. With 1 in 4 families in Wake and Johnston counties spending too much of their income on housing and COVID-19 putting a strain on renters, homeowners, and people experiencing homelessness across the country, housing is an issue that needs attention.
Elected officials serve as our connection to government, so the candidates you vote for matter. When casting your ballot this November, know that your vote will be shaping the future of affordable housing in our community.
Michelle Hamilton served two years as an AmeriCorps member and was just recently promoted to Construction Superintendent. To get a better glimpse into what it's like to be an AmeriCorps with Habitat Wake, we asked her a few questions. Check out this Q&A:
Where are you from?
I am from Virginia Beach, Virginia.
What inspired you to apply for our AmeriCorps program?