Real Estate

Landmark study highlights urgent housing need across income levels at Carolina Core Housing Summit

By Staff Report, posted 9 months ago
Photo provided by  Katharine Wendt

On Sept. 27, the Carolina Core Housing Summit revealed the findings of an extensive housing study covering all 21 counties within the Carolina Core region, spanning from the Cape Fear region to areas of the Triangle and into the foothills.

NC REALTORS®, in collaboration with Bowen National Research, conducted surveys involving thousands of individuals and employers and analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of housing units across the region.

Key findings of the report highlight a significant portion of residents facing housing cost burdens.

  • Housing affordability is an ongoing challenge for many of the region’s renter and owner households.
    The region has an insufficient inventory of available-for-sale housing to meet existing and projected housing needs, particularly products priced under $200,000.
    Feedback provided by employers in the Carolina Core region states that the majority have had difficulty attracting employees due to the area’s housing issues, while a notable share of respondents indicated that these issues have also presented barriers to employee retention. 
    Consideration should be given to local zoning and land use policies and if they support current and projected housing needs of each area.

“The key take-aways from the Carolina Core Needs Assessment research is that Cumberland County needs to increase the median income of its workforce. Cumberland County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the 21-county core region. All counties in the region are projected to experience positive household growth among adults. However, the region is behind on available units for rent or sale. Restrictions and regulations on developers also need to loosen in order to allow for development of the workforce housing needed in the region,” shared Mark Dow, 2024 Legislative and Political Affairs Chairman for Longleaf Pine REALTORS®.

The goal of the Carolina Core Housing Summit is to present this data and unite key decision makers around building solutions, based on important takeaways:

  • Housing solutions are needed across all income levels
    Coalition capacity is needed at the local level to bring all voices together 
    The challenge is urgent, but solutions are achievable

“The goal of this summit is two-fold. One, to bring much-needed attention to this critical issue of housing access and affordability in communities spanning our state,” said John McPherson, NC REALTORS 2025 President, in a press release. “Two, and equally as important, is to bring solution-oriented conversation and recommendations based on the findings of this comprehensive report that local communities, business leaders and elected officials can take back home and implement.”

The summit convened policymakers, employers and community leaders, aiming to drive the development of affordable housing solutions. The newly released study equips stakeholders with critical data to inform actionable strategies for addressing the region's housing challenges.

“It is critical that Fayetteville and Fort Liberty are tied into the future proposed I-685 highway. One example is the current situation with Western North Carolina and the tragic need for soldier deployment/readiness. Soldiers need to access and assist, and having easy access to a highway will help with that. We are planning to have a local town hall soon to present this new research to Cumberland County elected officials, economic developers, and planners in order to begin the process of addressing the various findings locally,” added Dow.

The Carolina Core Housing Summit is a joint initiative of NC REALTORS®, the Piedmont Triad Regional Partnership, NC Carolina Core and 11 Local REALTOR® Associations.
 

Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
north-carolina-military-business-center bill-simons headshott

Federal Food Series Webinars Will Connect North Carolina Food Businesses with Government Buyers

Bill Simons - Regional Program Manager, Goldsboro, North Carolina Military Business Center
fayetteville-state-university sambit-bhattacharya-phd headshott

FSU students and faculty make strides towards advancement in applied AI in the Intelligent Systems Laboratory

Sambit Bhattacharya, Ph.D. - Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Intelligent Systems Lab, Fayetteville State University
cape-fear-valley-health daniel-mccullough-md headshott

Navigating weight loss: Insights from a bariatric surgeon

Daniel McCullough, MD - Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Director, Cape Fear Valley Health

In The Current Issue

Creating opportunities: The Defense Alliance Foundation seeks to strengthen the local defense innovation ecosystem

DAF Chairman Phil Williams (far left) pictured with City of Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin (center) on June 10 following a presentation on a 25- year vision for the city’s continued growth and transformation. Photo provided by the DAF.The Defense Al


Empowering the mission: Linchpin Solutions provides tools to turn the tech of the future into the tools of today

Linchpin Solutions attends defense conferences throughout the year, using conferences and tradeshows to exhibit their services and connect with network professionals, including industry, military and government leaders to address and understand today


Lumberton is ready for takeoff: Lumberton Regional Airport embarks on major expansion to meet growing demand

Photo provided by Gary Lewis.The City of Lumberton is moving forward with a new terminal project at the Lumberton Regional Airport. It’s a collaborative effort involving several partners, including Cooper Tacia General Contractors, Talbert & Brig