Mary Ann Priester, PhD, MSW
Senior Management Analyst
Mecklenburg County Community Support Services
Stable housing represents the endpoint of the housing continuum and the foundation for long-term housing stability. While housing instability reflects households at risk of losing housing and homelessness reflects households who have already lost housing, stable housing ensures households can maintain safe, affordable, and sustainable housing over time.
This blog is the fourth in a five-part series examining findings from the 2025 State of Housing Instability and Homelessness (SOHIH) Report. This post takes a closer look at stable housing in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, including the role of permanent housing and rental assistance in helping households exit homelessness and maintain long-term housing stability.
DEFINING STABLE HOUSING
Stable housing refers to permanent housing that is affordable relative to household income and can be maintained over time. In practice, this means housing costs do not exceed 30% of income and conditions are safe and sustainable.
Stable housing includes both unsubsidized housing that households can afford and subsidized housing supported through rental assistance programs. For many households exiting homelessness, long-term rental assistance or deeply affordable housing is necessary to maintain stability. Without access to stable housing, households remain vulnerable to returning to housing instability or homelessness.
PERMANENT HOUSING RESOLVES HOMELESSNESS
Permanent housing interventions, including rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing, help households exit homelessness and achieve stability by combining housing with financial assistance and, when needed, supportive services. System performance data show these interventions are effective. Returns to homelessness among households who access permanent housing remain relatively low, demonstrating strong retention outcomes.
However, access remains the constraint. Exits to permanent housing have declined from 38% in FY20 to 25% in FY24, reflecting the limited availability of deeply affordable housing and long-term subsidies needed to support sustained exits. Permanent housing remains the most effective way to resolve homelessness, but its impact is directly tied to the availability of housing resources.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN HOUSING STABILITY
Rental assistance helps ensure households can afford housing over time, particularly those with extremely low incomes who cannot access market-rate housing without support. In 2024, 50% of renter households were cost-burdened, and nearly one in four were severely cost-burdened, paying more than half of their income toward housing.
At the same time, there are approximately three households for every one unit affordable to extremely low-income renters, underscoring the scale of the affordability gap. Rental assistance reduces this gap, helping households avoid eviction and maintain housing stability. Without it, many households—particularly those exiting homelessness—remain at ongoing risk.
LIMITED AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONSTRAINS HOUSING STABILITY
Access to stable housing is directly tied to the availability of deeply affordable housing, particularly for households with the lowest incomes. Charlotte-Mecklenburg currently has approximately 1,216 permanent supportive housing units, while demand continues to exceed available resources. Waiting times for housing assistance can exceed nine years, highlighting the depth of unmet need.
Broader market trends further constrain access. Median rent has increased 40% since 2014, while low-cost rental units have declined from 36% to just 8% of total stock, significantly reducing naturally occurring affordable housing. When affordable housing is limited, households remain homeless longer and face greater risk of returning to homelessness after exiting temporary programs.
STABLE HOUSING PREVENTS FUTURE HOMELESSNESS
Stable housing not only resolves homelessness; it also prevents it. In FY25, there were more than 52,000 eviction filings, increasing the risk of displacement and long-term housing instability. At the same time, homelessness increased 6% from FY23 to FY24, driven by continued inflow and longer durations of homelessness.
When households have access to housing they can sustain, they are far less likely to experience eviction, displacement, or repeated housing crises. Stable housing reduces demand on emergency systems and supports improved outcomes across health, employment, and overall well-being.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Stable housing is not just one part of the solution; it is the solution. When stable housing is available, households can exit homelessness more quickly, remain housed longer, and avoid returning to crisis systems. When it is not, the impacts ripple across the entire continuum—from increased evictions to prolonged homelessness and sustained pressure on emergency shelter systems.
The data are clear: housing interventions are effective, rental assistance is essential, and demand for deeply affordable housing continues to exceed supply. Expanding access to stable housing through both increased supply and long-term rental assistance will be critical to improving housing outcomes across Mecklenburg County and ensuring that homelessness becomes rare, brief, and non-recurring.
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