North Carolina governor relaunches council to address homelessness crisis

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Josh Stein signed Executive Order 25 Wednesday in Raleigh, relaunching the Interagency Council for Coordinating Homelessness Programs to address homelessness in North Carolina.

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According to a release, Stein says the council aims to prevent and end homelessness by enhancing coordination among government agencies and private and nonprofit service providers. It will be co-chaired by Karen Wade, Policy Director of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and Jessica Whichard, Chief of Staff of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

“All of us benefit when people have a safe place to call home,” Stein said. “Right now, we do not have enough homes, and the homes we have cost too much. Cost is a major cause of homelessness and a major barrier when people are trying to return to housing.”

In 2024, it was estimated that more than 11,500 North Carolinians experienced homelessness, including over 3,200 families with children, more than 500 unaccompanied homeless youth, and nearly 700 veterans. These figures represent a 19 percent increase from the previous year.

“North Carolinians experiencing homelessness face challenges when trying to access physical and mental health care and treatment for substance use disorder,” Wade said.

The council says it will also focus on recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene, which increased homelessness in the affected counties. Prior to the hurricane, approximately 6,600 people were experiencing homelessness in the 39 Helene disaster-declared counties.

The Interagency Council for Homelessness Programs was initially created under the Cooper administration to advise on housing stabilization and strategies to reduce homelessness. It supports various strategic plans, including the NCDHHS Strategic Housing Plan and the NC Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan.

Governor Stein’s 2025-2027 state budget proposal includes $35 million annually for the Housing Trust Fund to create more housing for low-income families, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities. He also proposed investments in the Workforce Loan Program to aid in the construction and repair of affordable housing.

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