CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new study by Home Bay found the Charlotte metro area has one of the lowest rates of homelessness among the 50 largest U.S. cities.
While it’s good news, the rapidly growing Queen City is struggling with a lack of housing and skyrocketing home prices. A local organization said the rapidly rising rent is forcing some people out of homes with nowhere else to go.
“More and more of the folks are coming to us, not because they've experienced an eviction due to non-payment or because of some type of a family crisis, but simply because the rent on the home that they are in is increasing to a point that they can't afford it," Elizabeth Kurtz, executive director of Charlotte Family Housing, said.
Charlotte Family Housing helps struggling families find housing and gain economic mobility through a multi-service program. Kurtz said the number of people facing homelessness in the area is growing. As of May 2023, Mecklenburg County‘s homeless population is 3,162. In May 2020, it was reported to be 2,173.
"The pace of building new units and particularly new units that are affordable to our lower-income households is not keeping pace with our population growth," Kurtz added.
The Home Bay study found cities with higher home values have bigger homeless populations. It says Charlotte has one of the lowest homeless rates, ranking 42 out of the 50 largest U.S. cities. However, it ranks 26 in average home values.
"Charlotte is actually doing better than one would expect," Matt Brannon, an analyst behind the report, told WCNC Charlotte.
Brannon said research shows the dominant reason for homelessness is a lack of affordable housing.
"Rent prices have grown four times faster than incomes have across the U.S. since 1985," Brannon said. "For example, average rent used to be $400. Now, it's $1,800, that’s even adjusting for inflation."
Charlotte is faring better than most large cities when it comes to homeless populations and it is cheaper than many big cities, but Kurtz predicts the situation will worsen as prices climb.
"Because some of our population spike has been relatively recent, there will ultimately be a trailing effect to this, and I think you will see those numbers change over time," she explained.
One of the biggest hurdles Charlotte Family Housing faces is finding rentals for clients. Kurtz said the organization is partnering with other agencies to recruit new landlords who would be interested in renting to people in their program that pay for rent partly with subsidies.
"If we can increase the number of units that are available to folks with supportive services, that will create some type of an alleviation of the problem," Kurtz said.
To keep Charlotte’s homelessness rate down, Kurtz and Brannon agreed the city needs more affordable housing.
There are dozens of organizations in the Charlotte area that strive to help people overcome homelessness. Nonprofits like Charlotte Family Housing are always looking for support. Share Charlotte has compiled a list of organizations battling homelessness and things they need help with.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.
This story is part of ‘I Can’t Afford to Live Here,’ a collaborative reporting project focused on solutions to the affordable housing crisis in Charlotte. WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve, including affordability. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you by providing the following assistance programs in Charlotte:
HOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN CHARLOTTE