Chatham Housing Collective Data Dashboard
Chatham Housing Collective Community Dashboard
Housing costs are rising in Chatham County. This makes it harder for those who live and work in our community to afford their rent or mortgage. Some of our community members may end up experiencing housing instability or homelessness as a result. When our neighbors have stable housing, they have a home they can reasonably afford, that is safe and big enough to live in, and close to the things they care about.
United Way of Chatham County gathers the Chatham Housing Collective (CHC) to address the growing housing needs in our community. The CHC is composed of programs working directly to keep neighbors housed and support others experiencing homelessness. This network of resources and support involves different entry points, services, and goals. Yet, the programs regularly coordinate to ensure an efficient system and continuity for the residents they serve.
The goal of the CHC Community Dashboard is to illustrate the ongoing efforts of Chatham County housing and homelessness programs. The dashboard also illustrates remaining opportunities to strengthen our network of support. Together, we can improve the dignity, prosperity, and well-being of our community by ensuring safe, stable housing for those in need.
Chatham County Dept. of Affordable Housing | Through programs such as the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), the Chatham County Department of Affordable Housing helps residents maintain safe, respectful housing that fits within their financial means. |
Chatham County Housing Authority | The Chatham County Housing Authority administers Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), government subsidies that assist very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. |
Chatham County Dept. of Social Services | The Chatham County Department of Social Services (DSS) provides an array of services, including supporting families, improving access to healthcare and nutrition, and fostering economic stability, while promoting personal responsibility. |
Salvation Army of Greensboro | The Salvation Army of Greensboro (SA Greensboro) is dedicated to meeting human needs without discrimination, helping households obtain and maintain housing through the administration of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency’s Back@Home program. |
Salvation Army of Chatham County | The Salvation Army of Chatham County (SA Chatham County) helps individuals and families avoid homelessness by providing essential support such as food, clothing, temporary shelter, and financial aid for rent and utilities to promote self-sufficiency. |
Love Chatham | Love Chatham is a local nonprofit that unites churches, businesses, and residents of Chatham County in a shared mission to support community members facing homelessness and hunger. |
Street Outreach (919) 407-8525 | The Street Outreach program connects individuals and families experiencing homelessness with vital services and housing opportunities. |
McKinney-Vento Program | Under the McKinney-Vento Act, Chatham County Schools’ McKinney-Vento Program supports the educational rights of students experiencing housing instability or living in inadequate conditions. |
Overview of Housing Support in Chatham County
The rising cost of rent in Chatham County means residents must spend more money to maintain housing. A significant number of Chatham residents are housing cost-burdened, meaning they are spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Behind these numbers are neighbors facing difficult decisions and living with daily uncertainty about affording and maintaining a stable home. Below, you will be introduced to Jane. Jane is a fictional persona, whose story is based on real circumstances and events that individuals and families experiencing housing instability or homelessness can face.
With many residents struggling to afford their rent and utilities, housing and homelessness programs work to meet the need, but the cost of assistance is rising. Some programs have long waitlists or higher rates of application denial because of strained resources.
As local programs continue to serve as many families as they can, there is an opportunity for Chatham County to unite behind the CHC and meet our community’s growing housing needs head-on.
In the sections below, learn more about what the CHC is doing to support our community.
Rent, Mortgage and Utility Assistance Programs
Several CHC programs focus on helping residents maintain their existing housing. When households have unexpected expenses or changes to their income, these programs step in to help fill the gap. As a result, households avoid eviction or utility shutoffs while working to regain stability. However, the high prevalence of cost-burdened households and increasing rent prices make it more difficult for programs to provide assistance.
For example, as rent costs rise, so does the amount of funds provided in each Housing Choice Voucher (i.e., the per-unit expense), resulting in fewer vouchers to go around. While the per-unit expense for Housing Choice Vouchers varies throughout each year (often in line with variations in rent costs), it has increased since 2022. Due to a long waitlist, application data for the Housing Choice Vouchers program is currently unavailable.
Other assistance programs sometimes turn down applications because applicants have received prior assistance through the program, are re-applying for assistance too soon, or there are not enough program resources.
For example, as rent costs rise, so does the amount of funds provided in each Housing Choice Voucher (i.e., the per-unit expense), resulting in fewer vouchers to go around. While the per-unit expense for Housing Choice Vouchers varies throughout each year (often in line with variations in rent costs), it has increased since 2022. Due to a long waitlist, application data for the Housing Choice Vouchers program is currently unavailable.
Other assistance programs sometimes turn down applications because applicants have received prior assistance through the program, are re-applying for assistance too soon, or there are not enough program resources.
Engagement and Connection Programs
While rental, mortgage, and utility assistance can keep some neighbors stably housed, other neighbors may still end up experiencing continued housing instability or homelessness for a variety of reasons. Engagement and connection programs play a key role in identifying those neighbors, providing short-term support, and introducing them to additional resources and programs.
Through liaisons staffed at Chatham County Schools, the McKinney-Vento program identifies students who are facing housing instability or homelessness. The liaisons connect families with transportation, school supplies, and other resources to keep students attending and engaged at school.
Students are especially vulnerable to housing instability and homelessness, and student support programs can highlight trends in service needs that might be harder to see. For instance, the McKinney-Vento Program not only identifies students who are experiencing literal homelessness, but also those who are living doubled up, living in motels / hotels, or living unsheltered (e.g., living in a car, a shed).
When Chatham residents experience homelessness, they can engage with a program such as Street Outreach for supplies and support. Street Outreach can also put interested households on a list for connection to case management and longer-term assistance.
A positive exit from Street Outreach happens when households move into housing, even if it is short-term. Examples of positive exits for programs like Street Outreach include moving into emergency or transitional housing (e.g., through enrollment in a case management program), temporarily moving in with family or friends, or staying at a hotel or motel. By contrast, other exits can occur when the program can no longer make contact with a household.
Case Management Programs
Identification and connection programs often introduce households to housing case management programs, which provide emergency resources and help them regain stable housing. For those who enroll in a housing case management program, it often takes time to get back on their feet. Participating households may face ongoing challenges such as finding childcare or employment, which can make it more difficult to achieve a positive exit from the program.
For SA Chatham, SA Greensboro, and Love Chatham, a positive exit is a departure from a case management program to a stable housing situation. Examples of positive exits from case management programs include moving into a host home (i.e., a third-party home), moving in with family or friends with no set time limit, or moving into a unit that the household is able to rent (including renting with housing assistance).
By contrast, other exits can occur when a household moves to another housing situation that is not stable (e.g., a halfway house), or when a case management program can no longer successfully contact a household.
When households find alternative housing, achieve a positive exit from a case management program, or present no contact for 90 days, they leave the Chatham County homelessness identification list.
Please note: in the graph and data below, Love Chatham refers specifically to clients enrolled in the transitional housing program.
Celebrating CHC Impact
Programs across Chatham County remain committed to helping our neighbors who are experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Thanks to these programs’ dedication and the strengths of Chatham residents, maintaining or achieving stable housing can be a more common outcome in our community.
Stay Up-to-Date with the CHC
Learn more about how you can support the work of the Chatham Housing Collective here.
Sign up for the monthly UWCC newsletter here.
Stay connected with UWCC on Facebook and LinkedIn.
If you have additional questions, please contact United Way Impact Manager Daisy Butzer at daisy@unitedwayofchathamcounty.org.
Additional Chatham County Data Resources
To learn more about key trends in our county, check out the latest State of Chatham Databook, linked here. This report captures data and trends across key aspects of our county, including population and demographics, housing, and the economy.
Additionally, for more information about Chatham County public health services, please visit the Chatham County Community Health Assessments here. The Community Assessment is a joint effort by the Chatham Health Alliance, Chatham County Public Health Department, Chatham Hospital, and local residents. Its goals are to understand community needs, identify health-related factors, and assess available resources to support well-being.
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