Bertie County leads with Universal Free Lunch and now, teacher housing.

Since 1974, the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) and its local affiliate organizations have worked to address issues such as infrastructure in underserved communities, public school funding, and workforce development and education programs.

Catholic bishops have supported the effort since its inception. And for its members and organizers, the work is perfectly aligned with Catholic social teaching.

Read the full article HERE

Who is running for office in Durham County?

BUILD's Proposal to Tackle Baltimore's Housing Crisis. Read more here.

100+ ONE Wake Members Call on Zebulon Candidates to Save, Expand SmartRide. Story here.

Bishop Clarence Laney, Pastor of Monument of Faith Church in Durham, offered the following reflection to frame the conversation at the Durham CAN Clergy Caucus meeting on November 14, 2023.

Scripture Reference; Nehemiah 2:1-5

In the Hebrew scriptures is recorded one of my favorite biblical narratives, the story of Nehemiah. I love this book because much of what occurs in Nehemiah parallels our time.

In the narrative Nehemiah became aware of the desperate situation in Jerusalem while serving as cupbearer for Artaxerxes I. The book opens with Nehemiah’s prayer that God would act favorably toward Israel and restore its identity as the People of God. Nehemiah’s prayer and concern for the struggling Hebrew people of God living in Jerusalem moved him to put a risky plan into action. As the wine taster for the king, Nehemiah had privileged access to him. Nehemiah’s heart is heavy for the people living in Jerusalem, and he allows the king to observe his depression while serving him wine. He could not serve in peace in this place of privilege while his brothers and sisters were in harm's way. Such a show of negative emotion in the presence of the King could very well have cost Nehemiah his life. The king immediately noticed the sad demeanor and demanded to know the reason Nehemiah was downcast. Nehemiah breathed a quick prayer and then tactfully explained that the city, the place of my ancestors’ graves, lies waste. Touched by Nehemiah’s explanation, the king granted his request to return to his homeland to rebuild the city of his ancestors’ graves. Nehemiah was not part of the priestly guild. He was a layman committed to doing the work of the Lord wherever he found a need, and he used his influential appointment as the cupbearer to further God’s work.1

Many of us were shocked and saddened as we watched the life leave the body of George Floyd. 8 minutes and 46 seconds later Floyd was dead. His death sparked international protest as white, Asian, Latinx, and Blacks shouted Black Lives Matter. Many of us joined the protest, we preached about racism and white supremacy some of us for the first time. Yet, almost three years after the death of George Floyd have any of us used our privilege and taken our concerns to the powers that be. Have we become comfortable in our own silos? We say we are troubled by the war between Israel and Hamas but what are we doing about it? We say we are concerned about the crime, poverty, and the lack of affordable housing but what are we willing to do about it? Do we have any skin in the game?

Take a moment!!! Listen closely, what do you hear? The silence of good people. Unlike Nehemiah we have allowed our proximity to power to silence us. While those in privilege are making lots of noise celebrating the growth and development of our beloved city. While the cries of the poor are being muffled. My sisters and brothers, like Nehemiah our faces should be disheveled when we see these atrocities. We should weep when we see the condition of the poor. Let not criminalize poverty to ease our conscience. Rather, like Nehemiah let’s go to power, organize the people and build a fair and equitable Durham for all of her residents. Let’s make a commitment to this work. In the words of the late Congressman Rev. John Lewis; "Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." He goes on to say “We have been too quiet for too long. There comes a time when you have to say something. You have to make a little noise. You have to move your feet. This is the time.”

1 Adapted from The Spiritual Formation Bible, Harper San Francisco, page 681-682.

How the Yale Unions Took Over New Haven

Ten years ago (2013), almost to the day, Bishop Clarence Laney, Monument of Faith Church, stood before a packed Delegates Assembly at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Durham and spoke to us about Durham CAN’s response to gun violence.  Ten years later, gun violence has not abated.  It has only gotten worse.  We should remember and reflect. Is it time to engage once again in this issue?  Here is an excerpt of Bishop Laney’s words:

“You should not stay idly by while your neighbor's blood is shed.   Leviticus 19:16”

When we reflect on this mandate – to not stand idly by while 30,000 American lives are lost each year to gun violence – we know we are called not just to act, but to act strategically and effectively.  Not just to hold a candle for the victims, but to use our power to try to prevent future senseless deaths.

Even when statistics show crime has decreased in Durham since 2007, we look with great concern at the impact of gun violence in our community.

Any incident of gun crime is one too many.

Notwithstanding the tragic loss of human life and related trauma, gun violence costs all of us in terms of employee productivity; medical care and emergency transport; courtroom hours; increased home and business insurance; school expulsions and the student’s potential to drop out. Gun violence also affects our community’s image and economic vitality…. 

We do not have a great deal of trust in the ability of the US Congress to pass this kind of legislation any time soon.On this issue, power is concentrated in the hands of the CEO’s of the companies that make and sell guns in the American market.  These companies have the power to save lives by adopting a set of responsible practices and standards.

And,  the people with the greatest power to persuade the gun manufacturers to adopt these steps are their largest customers:  the nation’s military, and police departments across the country.  Collectively they – we, the taxpayers – buy 40 percent of the guns in America.  Shouldn’t the companies we, the taxpayers, buy guns from be industry leaders in terms of practices that will save lives?

For the first time since 2016, NC voters will need photo ID to vote. Democracy NC compiled helpful info about the new requirement, including how to get free help obtaining an ID. (Tip: NC voters can now obtain ID from election offices in all 100 counties!) 

https://democracync.org/north-carolinas-voter-id-law/

One of Durham CAN's four Research Action Teams is focused on Gun Violence.  Faith and Leadership, a learning resource for Christian leaders and their institutions from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School, recently published an article by Aleta Payne, entitled Are we losing our ability to lament gun violence?  You can read the article here: https://faithandleadership.com/are-we-losing-our-ability-lament-gun-violence.

How Fines and Fees Stop Us From Paying Our Debt to Society

 Metro IAF | August 19, 2022

By Stephon Whitley and Boris Franklin for The Star- Ledger

August 7, 2022

Boris Franklin, left, and Stephon Whitley say they left prison, but prison did not leave them.
They were saddled with debts due to a system of fines and fees in our justice system that exploits
the most captive of captive audiences.

We were released from the New Jersey prison system, after serving  lengthy sentences for crimes that we committed, over three years ago.  However, we are still not free. The whole notion of ʻpaying your debt to  society,’ which for us meant imprisonment for a combined total of more  than 30 years, did not end when we walked out of the prison gates.  

We left prison, but prison did not leave us because while we were denied  the opportunity to take our treasured library of books that we had studied  in our cells while earning college degrees, we were saddled with debts  due to a system of fines and fees that exploit the most captive of captive  audiences.  

The extraction starts the moment someone is arrested, long before he or  she is convicted of any crime, with an immediate $50 county jail  processing fee. Imagine if, after every traffic stop, before it’s been  determined that a motor vehicle offense has occurred, that the officer  slapped you with a $50 charge for just pulling you over.  

Once incarcerated, every single need that a prisoner has — for food;  communications by telephone, email or video calls; for MoneyGrams;  for medical care; for the opportunity to attend the funeral of an  immediate family member – is used to impoverish those with almost no  ability to pay. For instance, a cup of Ramen Noodles, which costs 28  cents at Walmart, costs $1.03 in the county jail commissary.  

One of us spent an average of $100 at the commissary monthly,  including a 10% surcharge on every purchase. During a 20-year  sentence, that meant $2,400 in surcharges were paid. Surcharges  

permeate every transaction — $5 for every visit to the medical area, $1  for every mediation, 30% of income earned while in a halfway house  before final and full release.  

One of us could not attend the funeral of his son because the cost  imposed by the prison system — anywhere from $400 to $800,  depending on the distance — was more than he had. And while 

incarcerated, the interest for outstanding motor vehicle tickets just  continues to build, as does the amount that the prisoner owes for child  support, even though there is no possible way that an individual can pay  off those traffic tickets or maintain a child support payment while in  custody.  

This spider’s web of fines and fees ensnares every incarcerated person.  One of us left prison with approximately $56,000 in debt.  

While there is a great deal of discussion about equity, while high-level  committees and task forces are deliberating, sometimes endlessly, about  the need to end the exploitation of African Americans, Hispanics, and all  those who are excluded from the mainstream of American social life,  this system of fines and fees grinds on.  

It extracts from those least able to defend themselves, those with no  choices and no options. It systematically widens the gap between those  who can build wealth and those who are saddled with heavier and  heavier debts. It makes all those conferences and committees look like  just new ways of delaying the task of correcting these inequities.  

Those serious about social justice and reducing recidivism don’t need  any more time to dismantle this system. They can begin now, piece by  piece, by reducing fines and fees, by enabling those incarcerated to live  decently while in prison and freely, free of burdensome debt, once  released.  

Boris Franklin is the lead organizer of Jersey City Together.  

Stephon Whitley is an organizer with ONE Wake in North Carolina. Both  organizations are affiliates of Metro Industrial Areas Foundation, a  network of citizen organizations working on a wide range of issues,  including criminal justice reform.

https://www.metro-iaf.org/how_fines_and_fees_stop_us_from_paying_our_debt_to_society

Thanks to our Affordable Housing Finance Training this past spring, Durham CAN leaders learned about the different tools available for creating affordable housing. One such tool, The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), is the largest federally-funded affordable housing program; every year, North Carolina receives nearly $30 million dollars to fund the private construction of affordable housing residences. LIHTC are used to cover construction financing gaps that result from lower rent costs in projects like the newly-built Willard St. apartments in downtown. In order to receive Tax Credits, teams of developers, designers, and investors apply through a competitive application process. Applications are then scored across various categories, including site conditions, local housing needs, service to specific underserviced groups, design standards, and more. The scoring guidelines are outlined in the North Carolina Housing Authority's (NCHFA) Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). Because the competition for Tax Credits is intense, Tax Credit developers design their housing projects to achieve maximum scoring under QAP scoring categories. Thus, the QAP has a major impact on which populations are served, the types of projects that are undertaken and, indirectly, where affordable housing is built. 

To better center the needs of residents in the allocation of this extremely powerful affordable housing resource, Durham CAN gave public comment on the annual QAP draft. Our comments centered around ways to preserve the affordability of LIHTC developments, improve the rights of LIHTC residents, increase maintenance standards and regulations, and create practices that pursue racial equity and justice. It is our hope that by sharing our perspective as a community organization that is deeply rooted in relationships with residents, LIHTC developments will become an empowering platform for upward mobility that begin to reverse historic reproductions of systemic inequity in Durham and across NC. On August 31st, Durham CAN leaders will meet with Scott Farmer-- the executive director of NCHFA-- to discuss these goals and our public comment. View our comments in their entirety at the link above.

North Carolina was allocated $273 million from the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF), which was established through the American Rescue Plan to prevent mortgage delinquencies, defaults, displacements, and foreclosures for homeowners experiencing financial difficulties after January 21, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Durham CAN offered public comment to the NC Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) to guide the development of the HAF allocation plan, which will open this fall. It is our priority that the HAF addresses disparities faced by BIPOC homeowners, who make up more than half of those currently at risk of losing their homes. Investing HAF in land trust models would  preserve existing affordability, reduce tax burdens, and serve as a tool to prevent displacement. Read our full comment below:

Date: June 23, 2021
To: North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NHFA)
Re: Public Comments on Draft NCHFA Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) Plan

Durham Congregations, Associations and Neighborhoods (CAN) is a broad-based, community organization that works to coalesce, train, and organize the communities of Durham across religious, racial, ethnic, class, and neighborhood lines for the public good. Our primary goal is to develop local leadership and organized power to fight for social justice. We strive to hold both public and private power holders accountable for their public responsibilities, as well as to solve deep community social and economic problems. Durham CAN is affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation, the nation’s oldest and largest community organizing network.

Over the course of our 22 year history, the creation and preservation of low-income, workforce and affordable housing has remained a top priority for our 30+ member institutions. And through our campaigns calling for the construction of affordable housing, on public land, in close proximity to public transportation, we’ve come to understand NCHFA’s significance with regard to the state’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. According to the Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey data from January 2020 to February 1, 2021, of the 2.6 million homeowners who are currently past-due on their mortgages (as reported by the Mortgage Bankers Association) over half of them are people of color. We hope to see the $273 million HAF allocation deployed across North Carolina in ways that make real the commitments of our public institutions and officials to dismantling systems of racism and white supremacy. We submit the following comments for your review and incorporation in the final draft of the HAF Plan:

(1) Add a map and list for the Urban Counties with Federally Designated Census Tracts in Table 7 (For example, Durham has 18 tracts listed with no further information which makes it difficult to know which communities are targeted in this category).

(2) Designate up to 50% of the total funding for the launch and implementation of a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Homeownership Stabilization Pilot Program based on a shared equity model that would stabilize homeowners by "buying" their home into a land trust. This would also reduce tax liability, secure more permanently affordable housing without having to build it, and serve as an anti-displacement strategy.

Sincerely,
Durham Congregations, Associations and Neighborhoods

On January 27th, 2021, the Durham CAN Affordable Housing Team held an action at the monthly Durham Housing Authority (DHA) Board of Commissioners Meeting and spoke during the public comment period about our proposal with the goal of changing the current eviction policies at the DHA. 

We asked that DHA: (1) change the policy on the “time of filing” to extend the court filing date to at least 90 days after the rent is due; and (2) require direct and documented communication between the property manager and resident prior to filing an eviction notice. Increasing the time before filing will allow for recently proposed eviction interventions to take place and will decrease the long-term harm for some residents as well as lower overall evictions which many elected leaders -- including our Mayor -- have repeatedly referred to publicly as “a crisis.”

Since the January Board of Commissioners meeting, the Durham CAN Affordable Housing Team has engaged with DHA leadership and staff on multiple occasions to discuss long-term eviction procedure and policy. As the AH Action team moves to close this phase of our eviction action and develop new strategies, we ask you to JOIN US on Wednesday, March 24th at 5:30 pm to affirm our two procedure/policy recommendations to prevent eviction filings in the long term and highlighting how CAN’s recommendations serve the common self-interests we share with DHA.