HOUSING

• Reentry Housing: County Commissioners and the county's mental healthcare provider committed to take immediate action to identify public land and funds for reentry housing. The County Manager responded within a week, taking concrete steps outlined here: Agenda Document.
  • Currently, only 8 beds exist in the County for individuals reentering from incarceration. Many people are being told by County staff that their only shelter option is "under the nearest bridge"—a stark reality in the wealthiest county in the state.
• Home Repairs: Commissioners pledged to allocate $2 million for home repairs to help low-income homeowners stay in their homes and preserve existing affordable housing. The lack of home repair funding is a major driver of rampant gentrification. While a home repair collaboration is in place, the waitlist is so extensive that even “emergency” repairs take 1.5–2 years to address.

HEALTHCARE

• Financial Assistance: The UNC Health Director of Financial Assistance has committed to working with uninsured and underinsured leaders to eliminate barriers to accessing financial aid and clearing medical debt.

• Mental Health Services: Nearly $500,000 has been secured to expand mental health services for underserved residents—including Black, Latino, Asian, low-income, and rural communities—through a rural health clinic led by a Justice United leader. This builds on a previous Justice United achievement of securing $3 million for bilingual mental health services.