We want to hear from our community!
Wayne & Lenoir Counties have an affordable housing challenge. But what does that mean?
It doesn't just mean that there aren't enough homes for lower-income families, though there are not. Rather, our affordable housing challenge means that there are not enough homes available that families all up and down the income spectrum can afford. There aren't enough homes for people at 60% of area median income (ex. Habitat homeowners) and there aren't enough homes for somebody 120% of area median income (ex. teachers).
It also means that we do not have enough of the right homes, whether from a size or cost standpoint, or because there are older adults living in homes that are no long functioning for them, or because our community's housing stock is aging and there are homes in desperate need of repair before they become abandoned and dilapidated.
This was all highlighted in a 2024 report commissioner by the NC Chamber of Commerce Foundation that found that by the year 2029, Wayne County would have a nearly 6,000 housing unit shortfall, and Lenoir County be short almost 3,000 units.
So we want to hear from you.
- This first survey is only a few questions long and is open to anyone in Wayne County. Sponsored by the Wayne County Home Builders Association, the goal of this survey is to begin to get an understanding of the community's broader housing needs and preferences, from layout to accessibility to amenities to location and more.
