In support of a Fair Housing Ordinance
Note to City Council Members from Hannah-Marie Warfle
Thank you for supporting the use of Housing Trust Fund dollars to assist in the preservation of NOAH at Lake Mist Apartments. I hope that more of the HTF money can be used in this way so that my homeless clients will be able to move out of the shelter into an affordable apartment. However, we are going to need a few more affordable units to house all of the homeless and unstably housed individuals in Charlotte. It would help if ALL landlords and property managers would accept all types of income and consider housing applicants using their full applications not just by their response to questions regarding criminal history. Charlotte City Council could make this happen by passing a Fair Housing Ordinance. This action would send a strong message to our community: that Charlotte’s City Council stands with the Poor and Disenfranchised.
I am sure you have heard many reasons why a Fair Housing Ordinance that includes protection for those with criminal records and for those with non-traditional income sources, could be risky, legally. I acknowledge that many will be unhappy with this move and will challenge it in court. But fear of contention and legal battles cannot be the reason for inaction. If the Charlotte City Council really stands behind its most vulnerable constituents, those who most need champions to fight for them, then fear will not stand in the way.
The Pandemic has made action by our leaders more impactful and urgent, and Charlotte City Councilmembers are no exception. Taking action to pass a Fair Housing Ordinance would give hope and opportunity to thousands. Not just to the over 2,7001homeless individuals in our city, but also to the thousands of people living in hotels and the thousands of families cramming into tiny apartments, two and three at a time, just so they can afford the rent. I encourage you, Charlotte City Councilmembers, to be role models, prioritizing the most vulnerable over preserving the status quo and not rocking the boat.
Please, take action on behalf of Charlotteans in need of a fair chance to obtain a safe and decent place to live. Stand up for the Poor and Disenfranchised.
Funding For Crisis Assistance Ministry
Note to the Board of County Commissioners from Mike O’Sullivan
I am writing on behalf of the OneMECK Affordable Housing Committee concerning the “Emergency Assistance and COVID-19 Response Fund Update” topic which is on the agenda for the 8/18/2020 meeting. The “Mortgage, Rent and Utility Assistance” presentation includes a proposal to move $3.4MM in Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) funding from Crisis Assistance to DSS. We strongly feel that it is in the best interest of the community that this CIP funding continue to be allocated to Crisis Assistance.
Crisis Assistance is the one stop shop for a financial emergency and financial stability coaching. They help people stay in their homes in times of financial crisis, then give financial counseling and provide an economic mobility program for people ready to move up the economic ladder.
There are over 100 agencies that refer their customers facing financial crisis directly to Crisis Assistance. It is the only place they have to refer people to. There is no need for them to figure out where to send people needing money for different needs.
If the County takes over administration of the $3.4MM in CIP funding, it has the potential to create complexity and delay. People will need to go to two locations, wait in line & fill out two applications, since CIP will only cover a portion of their emergency financial needs. And, it will be difficult for people to know where to go for what they need, because the criteria for CIP is very limited.
Having all primary funding streams in one location with Crisis Assistance (city, county, federal, faith, corporate, individual, Duke Energy, etc.) to resolve a rent or utility crisis provides a customer-centric model for the prevention of eviction and utility disconnection. This is an efficient process that has a well-established record of success.
For all of these reasons, we urge the County to continue to allocate CIP funding to Crisis Assistance. Thank you for your consideration, and for your service to our community.
Support for Inlivian’s Proposal for 8th & Tryon to City Council
Note to City Council from Mike O’Sullivan
On June 8 City Council voted in support of the plan for 7th & Tryon redevelopment. As a part of this deal, the Board of County Commissioners previously voted to use $6MM in proceeds from the redevelopment to fund affordable housing for the related Inlivian proposal to redevelop 8th & Tryon. I am writing on behalf of the OneMECK Affordable Housing Committee to urge the City to support Inlivian’s proposal for 8th & Tryon.
To improve equity as a catalyst for broader upward mobility in our community, OneMECK believes that affordable housing should be available in all areas of Mecklenburg County. This must include expensive areas such as uptown, an area that has had significant disinvestment for individuals and families who historically lived and thrived in this region of our county.
That is why OneMECK supports Inlivian’s proposal for a mixed income development, which will leverage the value of land they already own to provide 110 affordable units in uptown. It provides a significant percentage of affordable units in the development, and these units will remain affordable for the foreseeable future. The 7th & Tryon proposal does not include affordable housing, so it is essential that the 8th & Tryon proposal delivers a level of affordable housing as a part of this large redevelopment effort. Indeed, we understand that the majority of the County Commissioners approved the 7th & Tryon proposal without 36 affordable units that would have remained affordable for only 20 years, because that allowed the County to allocate the necessary funding for the 8th & Tryon proposal, with its 110 units that are meant to be kept affordable for the life of the project.
To accomplish this project, the 1940’s Hall House must be demolished. It is not an architecturally or historically significant building, and has an antiquated structure, low ceilings and a dated layout. It would be prohibitively expensive to renovate – that is why the building has been left vacant since 2014. It is time to leverage this asset for the benefit of the community.
OneMECK urges City Council to work with Inlivian and the County Commission to expedite this project, with a goal to break ground in summer 2021. The City should provide money through the Housing Trust Fund to enhance the current proposal by adding additional affordable units, especially for those earning less than 50% AMI due to the gap in housing affordable at this level.
Thank you for your efforts to increase equity and access to affordable housing in all areas of our community. We stand ready to assist in any way possible.
Support for Inlivian’s Proposal for 8th & Tryon to County Commission
Note to County Commission from Mike O’Sullivan
I am writing on behalf of the OneMECK Affordable Housing Committee in support of Inlivian’s 8th & Tryon development plan presented to the BOCC on 5/27.
To improve equity as a catalyst for broader upward mobility in our community, OneMECK believes that affordable housing should be available in all areas of Mecklenburg County. This must include expensive areas such as uptown, an area that has had significant disinvestment for individuals and families who historically lived and thrived in this region of our county.
That is why OneMECK supports Inlivian’s proposal for a mixed income development which will leverage the value of land they already own to provide 110 affordable units in uptown. It provides a significant percentage of affordable units in the development, and these units will remain affordable for the foreseeable future. The development also brings new life to uptown by reviving land which has remained unused for years.
This project presents a rare opportunity to expand access to desperately needed affordable and mixed income housing in the right place at the right time.
OneMECK urges the Board of County Commissioners to take the following actions:
- Provide the $6MM in gap funding requested by Inlivian
- Set aside additional funding to enhance the current proposal by adding additional affordable units, especially for those earning less than 50% AMI due to the gap in housing affordable at this level
- Work with Inlivian and City Council to expedite the project, with a goal to break ground in summer 2021
We commend the BOCC for your efforts to increase equity and access to affordable housing in all areas of our community. We stand ready to assist in any way possible.
Mike O’Sullivan, Chair, OneMECK Affordable Housing Committee
Using Coronavirus Relief Fund to Prevent Evictions
Note to Members of the Housing Task Force from Mike O’Sullivan
During the 5/11 City Council meeting, Mr. Jones indicated that $20MM of the $154.5MM Coronavirus Relief Fund would be entrusted to the Housing Task Force. On behalf of OneMECK, I am writing to suggest that a significant portion of that money be allocated to eviction prevention.
The Chief Justice’s moratorium on eviction trials will expire on May 31. There are already 1800+ eviction complaints pending for trial, and the small courtrooms cannot safely accommodate all of the potential litigants. While many tenants remain unemployed and unable to pay rent and other necessities, landlords are feeling their own economic pressures to collect rent or evict their residents. The best relief for this crisis is to assist the needy tenants immediately with rent and avoid attorney fees and court costs. There is no more urgent need in our community. Our homeless shelters are already overflowing.
City Council and the philanthropic community have already begun working on this problem, with the City allocating CDBG/ESG funding and United Way/Foundation for the Carolinas awarding grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund.
However, given the extent of this problem, the currently available funding will fall far short of the need. That is why it is critical that the Housing Task Force immediately allocates a portion of the $20MM from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to fill this gap. This stop-gap funding would be critical lifeline to those families experiencing temporary unemployment and can’t pay rent. It will prevent a surge in evictions and homelessness. For owners, it could save court costs for evictions of $126 and litigation charges of $350 + per case—many thousands of dollars. And, through Crisis Assistance Ministry, there is already a “tried and true” mechanism for ensuring these funds get immediately to those who need them.