2023 State of Housing Instability & Homelessness Report Released Today

Today, December 7, 2023, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services  released the 2023 State of Housing Instability & Homelessness (SoHIH) Report. The annual SoHIH report synthesizes local, regional, and national data on the full housing continuum. It provides a knowledge base that Charlotte-Mecklenburg uses to make informed policy, practice, and funding decisions to facilitate optimized resource allocation and systems of care.

This blog post outlines the key findings from the 2023 SoHIH and what it could mean for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

KEY FINDINGS

Each year, the SoHIH report incorporates new data and resources to analyze the entire housing continuum. The 2023 SoHIH report updates standard community metrics related to housing and homelessness, covering aspects such as cost-burden, evictions, Point-in-Time Count, housing inventory, rental gaps, Housing Trust Fund, and system performance metrics. This year’s report also includes data from the Unsheltered Point-in-Time Count Survey, Mecklenburg County Detention Center data, and enhanced information about local housing vouchers.

WHAT WE KNOW

• The number of people experiencing homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg continues to increase: As of June 2023, there were 2,704 people in Mecklenburg County actively experiencing homelessness, a 11% increase (from 2,428 people) from June 2022.
• The number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness has increased: According to 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) count data, there were 288 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Mecklenburg County; a 35% increase since the 2020 PIT (214 people).
• The average length of time people stay in emergency shelter has increased while the median length of time has decreased. This suggests the system can facilitate rapid exit from homelessness but still has some long-term shelter stayers.
• Low-cost rentals are disappearing: Low-cost housing for low-income households now accounts for 12% of the total housing stock, down from 45% in 2011.
• More low- and moderate-income households are struggling to afford and keep their housing: Lag in incomes increasing at the same rate as housing costs is a contributing factor to the number of rental households in Mecklenburg County who are housing cost burdened. Eighty-three percent of renters earning less than $50K per year are cost burdened.
• Evictions are increasing: Sixty percent of eviction cases filed in FY23 were granted in full or part. Eviction filings increased by more than 40% in the last year, resulting in nearly 7,000 additional Mecklenburg households losing their homes and acquiring an eviction record. 33,507 eviction cases were filed in FY23, a 31% increase in the number of eviction cases filed pre-moratorium (FY20; 25, 631).

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The annual State of Housing Instability & Homelessness (SoHIH) Report provides a comprehensive compilation of the most recent data on housing instability and homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Emphasizing the pivotal role of data in addressing these issues, the report integrates local, regional, and national data spanning the entire continuum of housing from housing instability and homelessness to stable, permanent, and affordable housing. The report is structured into three primary sections:  homelessness (both sheltered and unsheltered), housing instability, (e.g., doubled up, housing cost-burdened), and stably housed (permanent and affordable housing). It presents data on both the demand side of the housing continuum, from housing instability to homelessness, and the supply side, which includes all types of permanent, affordable housing.

The 2023 SoHIH report also includes data that highlights systemic and structural factors influencing racially disproportionate experiences of housing instability and homelessness, examines the effects of wage stagnation, offers insights into the demand for housing-related services in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and assesses the local system’s capacity to meet emerging needs.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER

The 2023 State of Housing Instability & Homelessness Report provides a single, dedicated synthesis of all the latest data on housing instability and homelessness pertaining to Charlotte-Mecklenburg. This resource can and should be used by all stakeholders who are working to address housing instability and homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond. Data is crucial for quantifying these issues and for tracking progress and success.

Addressing housing instability and homelessness requires a multifaceted cross-systems approach that combines affordable housing initiatives, support services, mental health and addiction treatment, and employment opportunities, along with efforts to reduce discrimination and enhance tenant protections. As the community continues its mission and work through A Home for All to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring, progress in these areas is imperative and possible.

The 2023 SoHIH report and all complementary material can be found on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing & Homelessness Dashboard.

HOW TO HELP

There are several ways you can help, especially before and during the annual Point in Time Count.

• Volunteer: Volunteers are needed on Jan. 25, 2024, to help complete surveys, assist in preparations, etc. Learn more here.
• Donate: Residents can donate items to help people sleeping outside until housing is secured. Access the wishlist here.
• Raise Awareness: Residents can share information with their friends, family, and networks about housing and homelessness using the #EverybodyCountsCLT hashtag and PIT Activities calendar. The PIT Activities calendar provides data and links to events throughout January. It will be available mid-December at the Point-in-Time Count page

Karen Pelletier is the Director of Housing Innovation and Stabilization Services with Mecklenburg County Community Support Services.  In this position, she supports and leads data-driven work to solve for housing instability and homelessness.  She is also responsible for ensuring best practice implementation of Mecklenburg County-funded housing and homeless programs.