Gov. Josh Stein joins panel to discuss, debate housing affordability and supply crisis

Milner Commons is a 156-unit public/private venture on Russ Street in Raleigh is uilt to house seniors 55 and older with modest incomes. (Photo: Greg Childress)

High construction costs, labor shortages and supply chain issues all contribute to soaring housing costs and supply shortages, Gov. Josh Stein said Tuesday. But the state’s growing popularity as a destination for transplants is also a big part of the problem, Stein said.

The governor noted that North Carolina is the third fastest growing state since the last census. The state, he said, added more people than any other except Texas and Florida. “There are just a lot of people moving here and houses aren’t being built fast enough,” Stein said.

When people move to North Carolina, Stein said, they need a place to stay and when there is a shortage of available units, newcomers, who often come with higher salaries and larger bank accounts, are willing to pay more for housing.

“And then it means everybody else is left to struggle,” he said.

Experts, advocates, elected leaders gather

Stein made his remarks during a roundtable discussion in Raleigh with more than a half-dozen housing experts and elected officials. The event was held at Milner Commons, a 156-unit public/private venture on Russ Street in Raleigh that was built to house seniors 55 and older with modest incomes.

Tuesday’s meeting was an opportunity for Stein to discuss solutions to the housing crisis with housing experts and local officials and to consider legislation and public policy initiatives to speed up the building process to boost the state’s housing supply.

“Our state is growing, and people need a safe and affordable place to live,” Stein said. “We will remain focused on identifying solutions to lower the cost of housing for North Carolinians at every stage of life and work to ensure every person has a safe place to call home.”

The housing crisis in North Carolina is real. The state faces a five-year housing inventory gap of 764,478 units (322,360 rental units and 442,118 for-sale units), according to a recent statewide report commissioned by the NC Chamber Foundation, NC REALTORS and the N.C. Homebuilders Association.

And across the country, people, particularly those with low incomes, are finding rents increasingly unaffordable. A recent report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) found a national shortage of 7.1 million affordable and available rental…