North Carolina
NC Housing Finance Agency awarded $8M federal grant to secure housing for people with disabilities • NC Newsline
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) is one of 18 state housing agencies that recently received an award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to secure affordable housing for people with disabilities. NCHFA will receive nearly $8 million to help people with disabilities pay for affordable, safe housing. The agency will spend the money on 225 housing units in the form of rental assistance.
The awards may be used to address long-term housing security and affordability issues within existing, new or renovated multifamily developments. Agencies will will work with Medicaid and/or state health and human services agencies to connect tenants with community-based support services.
“Adults with disabilities often face significant barriers in securing a safe and stable place to live,” Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon said in a statement. “These awards create opportunities for more housing that’s available, accessible, and inclusive.”
Funding for the grants come from HUD’s Section 811 Project Rental Assistance for Persons with Disabilities program.
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are committed to removing barriers to housing and ensuring that everyone has access to an accessible, quality, and affordable home that meets their needs,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “Today’s [August 14] awards will support Americans with disabilities by both creating affordable housing and expanding crucial support services.”
Scott Farmer, executive director of NCHFA said his agency applied for the Section 811 award in partnership with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“Our intent with the plan we submitted to HUD, we’re going to utilize this as rental assistance for units that are set aside within some of our recently funded or to be funded Housing Credit property,” Farmer said. “With our tax credit program, we’re already setting aside 10% of all of the units for persons with disabilities through what we call the Targeting [Housing] Program.”
The state’s Targeting Housing Program to which Farmer referred is a supportive housing program for people who are very low income and disabled and in need of affordable housing. The program is a partnership between NCHFA and NCDHHS in collaboration with owners, property management and service provider agencies.
Each year, 10% of all the rental apartments that are developed using the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) are reserved to allow people with disabilities to apply to live in them. Under the housing tax credit program, developers are awarded tax credits in exchange for agreeing to maintain the property as affordable housing for a minimum of 30 years.
Farmer said the state funded rental assistance program administered through NCDHSS doesn’t meet all of the needs.
“It’s not enough,” Farmer said. “With rents escalating and an increase in demand for units overall, but especially for those at the lowest incomes and those with different disabilities, there needs to be additional resources. So, when this federal resource popped up, we applied for it.”
The agency received a Section 811 award in 2019, Farmer said, but did not receive it until January 2024 due to the pandemic and other delays.
“We were getting ready to implement those funds [from 2019] while we were applying for this second round,” Farmer said.
NC Newsline recently reported that the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services Strategic Housing Plan published in March 2023 calls for the agency to support the “creation of 3,500 PSH [permanent supportive housing] opportunities for people with disabilities through new construction and rehabilitation of existing properties.
“Research shows that PSH is effective for those with more severe disabilities and complex needs — including people with severe mental illness, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), people impacted by substance use and substance use disorder, those experiencing chronic homelessness, and people exiting institutions,” the strategic housing plan said.
The research also shows that such housing is cost effective for people with co-occurring conditions who are experiencing homelessness and frequently use costly emergency and institutional services, the plan says. And overall, PSH results in positive outcomes on health, including behavioral health, as well as overall housing stability, according to the plan.
North Carolina
Duke beats North Carolina in low-scoring affair to advance to first Elite Eight in over a decade
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The rivalry between Duke and North Carolina is well documented, but Friday afternoon brought a new moment — the first-ever meeting in the NCAA Tournament. And the stakes were plenty high, with the winner advancing to its first Elite Eight in over a decade.
There were few surprises in the third meeting of the season, resulting in the lowest combined point total of the three games (85). In the end, Duke continued its winning streak and prevailed 47-38 to advance to its first Elite Eight since 2008.
Friday’s matchup was a defensive struggle, with both teams shooting under 35 percent from the field and under 60 percent from the free-throw line. The Tar Heels seized control early, jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter. But Duke settled in and outscored North Carolina by a 47-27 margin in the final 34 minutes for the win.
For North Carolina, the shooting struggles of its top players was the storyline. The Tar Heels’ top four scorers on the season, Maria Gakdeng, Alyssa Ustby, Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly, combined for just 22 points.
Duke’s Ashlon Jackson’s eight second-half points led all scorers. Jackson’s 10 total points finished second only to sophomore Oluchi Okananwa, who led all players in scoring and rebounding with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The Blue Devils (29-7) will play the winner of South Carolina-Maryland on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
Duke’s win is a milestone moment in Kara Lawson’s tenure
In 2020, Lawson took over a Blue Devils program that had missed the NCAA Tournament three times in the previous five years. What immediately followed was a COVID-19-shortened season of just four games. Five years later, Duke will play for its first Elite Eight since 2003.
“Playing for her, it’s everything for me,” Jackson said Thursday. “I pretty much can speak for everyone that wears a jersey that says Duke.”
Lawson reached another important milestone a few weeks ago, capturing the ACC Tournament title, the first ACC championship for Duke since 2013. Success inside of the ACC has translated to success in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Sweet Sixteen a year ago and advancing at least one stage farther in 2025.
Momentum is on the Blue Devils’ side, with nine straight wins after Friday’s triumph. With one more win, Duke can reach its first Final Four since 2003.
Pair of bench players paced Duke to Elite Eight
The decisive advantage for Duke came from bench points, where a stark 26-6 advantage helped pave the way for a win. The catalysts were senior Vanessa de Jesus and sophomore Okananwa, whose 18 combined first-half points, out of 28 total for Duke, brought the Devils out of an early shooting slump. Duke had failed to score a basket in the first six minutes of the game until both players entered.
De Jesus’ impact was felt most in the first half with eight points on 4-5 shooting. Elsewhere, Okananwa’s impact is understood as the 2024 ACC Sixth Player of the Year. And she showed again why she’s an X-factor for Duke with an impressive 12-point, 12-rebound statline, her third double-double of the season.
Eventually, starters like Jackson found their scoring rhythm, but Duke’s depth was the leading storyline. The Blue Devils will need it in the Elite Eight, regardless of their opponent, as the competition level continues to rise.
(Photo: Gary Cosby Jr. / USA Today via Imagn)
North Carolina
Duke-North Carolina free livestream: Where to watch women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, TV, time
The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils play against the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels in a women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game today. The matchup will begin at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Blue Devils enter this matchup with a 28-7 record, and they defeated No. 10 Oregon 59-53 in their second-round game.
During the victory, Ashlon Jackson led the Duke offense. She scored 20 points and shot 5-9 from three-point range, so she will look to continue her offensive success today.
The Tar Heels enter this matchup with a 29-7 record, and they defeated No. 6 West Virginia 58-47 in their second-round game.
During the victory, Alyssa Ustby led the North Carolina offense. She scored 21 points and shot 7-11 from the field, so she will try to perform similarly this afternoon.
Notably, Ustby leads the team in rebounds and assists this season.
Fans can watch this Sweet 16 game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
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