The COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted housing so as much as it has exposed the underlying conditions resulting from a century of inequalities in access to safe, affordable, and decent housing. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is still being explored, but early data suggests that the wealth gap has grown as inequalities in employment, education, and housing have worsened for many households. According to the New York Times, more than 1.4 million Americans expect to be evicted within the next two months, while another 2.2 million say it’s somewhat likely they’ll be evicted. In this month’s CHCS Housing Hangout, panelist will discuss local, regional, and state initiatives to provide housing assistance and to try and reduce the number of households that will be displaced due to evictions.
- Wanda Allen-Abraha, Director Human Relations Department, City of Winston-Salem
- Julie Antonelli, Chief Magistrate Judge, North Carolina Judicial Branch
- Sarah Baker, Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Program, Guilford County Government
- Michelle Kennedy, Director, Neighborhood Development, City of Greensboro
- Jennifer Lechner, Executive Director of the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission
- Janet McAuley-Blue, Managing Attorney at Legal Aid of North Carolina
- Renée Norris, Eviction Mediation and Housing Navigation Program Coordinator, UNCG Center for Housing and Community Studies
- Holly Oner, Staff Attorney at Legal Aid of North Carolina