Over 405 Orange County Justice United leaders, including from 12 historically Black neighborhoods, secured commitments from County Commissioner candidates to invest in preserving and creating affordable housing during a Candidate Assembly on Feb. 12, 2026. The majority of candidates pledged to invest $2.5 million for both preserving housing — through home repairs and property tax assistance — as well as for creating deeply affordable homeownership opportunities for essential workers. Candidates also pledged to reform a racially inequitable property valuation system that proportionately overtaxes historically Black and low-income neighborhoods by millions of dollars — while undertaxing the County's wealthiest residents. 

The historic assembly united neighborhood and faith leaders from 12 historically Black and underrepresented neighborhoods from every corner of the County, for the first time. With electric energy and powerful stories and data, leaders called the question, "Who is this County for?" Orange County is the third wealthiest County in NC by median income, but the third most unequal in income distribution. As one of the leaders sharing a testimony told the candidates, “Black people built this County.”

All candidates pledged to:
- Meet quarterly with Justice United if elected.
- Transform the property assessment process by implementing best-practice tools to make the assessments equitable.
- Hold the Tax Office accountable for equity and transparency.

Four out of seven candidates (including two of the three who won) also pledged to invest $2.5 million to prevent gentrification and increase affordable homeownership opportunities for those earning 30-50% of the area median income.

The Candidate Housing Assembly built off a multi-year campaign to preserve existing affordable housing — so that the longstanding Black homeowners who built our County can stabilize their rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods and build their own generational wealth. Last Spring, Justice United leaders won commitments for $2 million in public funds for home repairs, to clear a 2-year waitlist of 200 house-holds. Those funds are currently being disbursed.