2024 Summer Reading List:
Mary Ann Priester
Senior Management Analyst
Mecklenburg County Community Support Services
Each year, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services (CSS) releases an annual report series on housing instability and homelessness consisting of two primary research products. The first is an integrated data report produced by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute which links cross-system data sources to explore housing instability and homelessness through an intersectional lens.
The second major output in the series is the annual Charlotte-Mecklenburg State of Housing Instability & Homelessness Report which includes local, regional, and national data on the full housing continuum. It also features data from the Point-in-Time Count; housing inventory; rental gaps; and system performance metrics, providing a comprehensive resource for housing and homelessness-related information in Mecklenburg County.
In addition to the locally produced housing instability and homelessness outputs described above, there are several books that provide innovative information and meaningful insights on both the causes of and solutions to housing instability and homelessness in Mecklenburg County.
This blog post provides a 2024 suggested Summer reading list, including a brief overview of each book, why you should read it, and what each means for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
READING LIST
The reading list below includes three new (or older, but still important) housing-related books. Considered together, this list provides the reader with a more comprehensive understanding of the complex problems of homelessness and housing instability and the multi-faceted approaches needed to address these issues.
What it is: Published in March 2024, this book is a collection of essays by experts and advocates that describes the affordable housing crisis, its causes and impact, and innovative strategies that can be implemented to address the crisis. The book is divided into five key sections:
- The Big Picture: A review of the current housing landscape including income inequality, gentrification, economic policy, and homelessness.
- Racial Injustice and Housing: An overview of laws that have created and perpetuated racial segregation in cities and suburbs.
- Points of View: Case studies on affordable housing in New York and Los Angeles.
- In Search of Solutions: Initiatives that can be implemented to address and solve the affordable housing crisis.
- Portfolio: A collection of well-designed affordable housing projects in the United States.
Why you should read it: This book provides a comprehensive summary of the affordable housing crisis with a focus on urban housing. The essays highlight the complex nature of the affordable housing crisis and equip the reader with essential knowledge to both advocate for and implement crisis solving solutions.
What it means for Mecklenburg County: According to 2022 American Community Survey data, in Mecklenburg County, there is a 25,442-unit gap in rental units for households at or below 30% AMI. Innovative, cross-sector, multi-disciplinary strategies are needed to address the local affordable housing crisis.
What it is: This book, authored by Jenny Schuetz and released in 2022, evaluates how local, state, and national housing policies impact people and communities. It explains how past policies have resulted in current housing issues and provides recommendations for practical policy change to ensure increased accessibility for safe, decent, and affordable housing for all populations and communities.
Why you should read it: Schuetz’s book provides the reader with an understanding of the historical context of the housing crisis and what policy changes are needed to effectively address it.
What it means for Mecklenburg County: Housing policy influences homelessness and housing instability through its impact on affordability and access to housing, regulations and zoning, prevention and supportive housing, funding flexibility and sustainability, anti-discrimination efforts and more. Effective policies in these areas at the local, state, and national level can significantly reduce homelessness and improve housing stability in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
What it is: This book written by Eva Rosen and released in 2020 explores the impact of the Section 8 housing voucher program on American neighborhoods. Through the experiences of community members in Baltimore’s Park Heights neighborhood, the author examines how Section 8 vouchers, intended to provide low-income families with access to better housing and neighborhoods, actually play out in practice.
Why you should read it: Through in-depth research and analysis, this book describes the challenges and limitations of the program, including issues of segregation, discrimination, and the struggle for stable housing. It also highlights the stories of individuals and families navigating the often-complex voucher system, providing a more nuanced understanding of the programs successes and shortcomings.
What it means for Mecklenburg County: Thirty-two percent of households in Mecklenburg County are housing cost burdened. Housing vouchers are a critical tool to address the local housing affordability crisis, prevent homelessness, support people as they transition from homelessness, and promote economic and residential mobility.
SO, WHAT
Each of the books in the 2024 Summer reading list highlights a particular aspect of housing instability and homelessness: causes, conditions, and solutions for the affordable housing crisis; Section 8’s impact and opportunities for improvement; policies that have led to current conditions; and policy changes that could address the complex issues of housing and homelessness.
Collectively, this list can help policy makers, practitioners, advocates, and community members in becoming equipped with information and data that can help develop effective solutions to address homelessness and housing instability.
