CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new report by UNC Charlotte's Urban Institute is taking a look at housing instability and homelessness in Mecklenburg County. The report shows that eviction filings have dramatically increased in 2023.
New apartments have continued to pop up, built from the ground up and stretch sky high. Some people have drawn similarities between the height of the apartments and what they are paying.
WCNC Charlotte spoke with some renters in South End.
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These renters said that over the course of five years, they've seen their rent increase by hundreds of dollars. One woman said her rent jumped almost a thousand dollars.
Johnathan Arnall had to move from Uptown to NoDa because it was cheaper but realizes some people might not have that luxury.
"It’s probably hard for a lot of people to decide," Arnall said.
A new report showed eviction filings were up 40% in 2023, impacting nearly 7,000 people in Mecklenburg County.
Jessica Moreno with Action NC said that, while Charlotte rent prices are increasing year over year, affordable housing isn't catching up. She highlighted solutions the metro needs.
"We’ve been seeing this for the last three years, cooperate takeover of housing," Moreno said. "We need the right to counsel, tenants that go through evictions, for them to have attorneys beyond what is given from non-profits.”
The report also said the fair market rate for a one-bedroom apartment in Mecklenburg County is just shy of $1,200. The report showed a single person working a minimum wage job would need to work 125 hours per week to afford that. Because of this, Moreno said there also needs to be commodified housing.
"It’s housing that won’t go up and down in value," Moreno said.
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