Very good article from The Independent on the need for affordable housing in Raleigh and what the City is planning to do about it:

Habitat for Humanity International released its annual Shelter Report On World Habitat Day, October 5.  This year’s report entitled, Level the Field: Ending gender inequality in land rights.  Here is a brief synopsis of the report:

“The need for housing does not end at your county line.” -Frank Reed, Habitat for Humanity International

Lisa Hughet spent more than two decades conducting corporate and sales training for a large technology company and a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Now she spends her free time training Habitat volunteers to swing a hammer and use a caulk gun.

"There's nothing worth more, that could ever come close 

No thing can compare--you're our living hope 

Habitat for Humanity of Wake County is one of nearly 40 Habitat affiliates partnering with Valspar, Habitat’s national paint partner, and Wells Fargo, to launch A Brush with Kindness Week Sept. 19-26.  A Brush with Kindness Week is a nationwide effort to transform neighborhoods by painting, providing minor exterior home repairs, landscaping and cleaning up yards in partnership with more than 130 low-income homeowners, many of whom are elderly or have a disability. Locally, 100 Habitat for Humanity volunteers will work on five projects nextWednesday Sept. 23 – Saturday, Sept.

Today, I am traveling with Habitat Wake board member, Michelle Pavliv, to visit and participate in Habitat for Humanity's work in the central African nation of Malawi. We are traveling with a group organized by Habitat for Humanity International that consists of staff and board members from a number of US Habitat affiliates. It is a blessing to be able to connect with our partners around the world. We began supporting the work of Habitat Malawi financially earlier this year as part of our global strategy of Habitat Wake.

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Gospel of John 15:5-8

 When Twanna Jackson walks through her neighborhood and finds herself curious about the interior layout of a neighbor’s house, she doesn’t need to knock on their door and ask to be invited inside.  In many cases she already knows the house ‘inside out’ from having helped build it as a Habitat volunteer.

Ten years ago Olachi Anaemereibe sat in front of her TV, with tears in her eyes as she watched news reports depicting the incredible devastation that was unfolding in New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Hers were tears of compassion and frustration, and she felt there was very little she could do to help.