CCM March 2021 Perspective

MARCH 2021
PERSPECTIVE
FROM THE FRONTLINES
From Our Executive Director, Ed Hosack
CABARRUS COUNTY IN HOUSING CRISIS
AFFORDABILITY VS.
VULNERABILITY
In Cabarrus County, even before
COVID-19, nearly 40% of all
renters were cost burdened and
nearly 25% of all households,
when you include homeowners.
Concord and Kannapolis rental
rates are increasing faster than
other municipalities in our region
and twice the state average rate
of increase.
A household that is cost-burdened will struggle with
the remainder of their household income to cover the
cost of groceries, transportation, clothing, medical
expenses, insurance, education expenses, child care,
communication and other household expenses.
Living day-to-day “cost-burdened” or otherwise
commonly referred to as living paycheck-to-paycheck
leaves a household living on the edge of vulnerability.
Living along the line of vulnerability increases the
probability, when a family experiences the unexpected,
the cost associated with that event will interrupt
the family’s normal budgeting and cause a crisis.
When a subsequent unexpected event occurs, before
the household is able to recover from the previous
unexpected event, very often it begins a cycle of loss.
Housing is “affordable” when it
comprises no more than 30%
of the family's budget. Families
that spend more than this on
housing are “cost burdened”.
(2019 NLIHC Report)
Extremely Low-Income (ELI) individuals, who are
on disability or minimum wage may bring home
$9,500 to $15,000 per year. There is no example of
safe, stable and affordable independent housing for
this population. At best, congregate housing with
community style living is an option.
continued »

HOUSING CRISIS, cont.
Congregate housing is a type of housing in which
each individual or family has a private bedroom or
living quarters but shares with other residents a
common dining room, recreational room or other
facilities.
Low-Income households, with income less than
50% Area Median Income (AMI) or $15,000 to
$37,000, cannot afford an average two-bedroom
apartment in Cabarrus County at $967 per month.
Rent affordability for these households is $725-768
per month with utilities at $157-$200 per month.
Over 7,600 renter households were cost-burdened
and 9,756 homeowner households also costburdened
in 2019. The total number of households
in Cabarrus County reported as cost-burdened was
17,378 households. For many of these families the
COVID-19 economic crisis presents a scenario that is
unrecoverable.
For many more families, this is new territory. Finding
new housing while burdened with credit or debt
issues becomes a demoralizing impossibility. In the
present economy, protecting a family from loss of
housing is of MONUMENTAL importance.
Providing financial assistance to avoid immediate
cut-off or eviction AND helping families take
corrective action to avoid future crisis is the
most efficient way to battle homelessness. YOUR
SUPPORT makes this possible. THANK YOU!
WE NEED HOUSES & APARTMENTS
to meet the needs of families in crisis.
If you are in a position to donate,
please contact us at 704.706.9047
The People, The Places, The Possibilities
Catch the Spirit!
CELEBRATING
I LOVE MY CITY
APRIL 2021
This county-wide initiative focuses on projects that make
a positive impact on our neighbors through local service
projects and by serving each other.
ILOVEMYCITYPROJECT.com
To sign up for a project, visit ILoveMyCityProject.com.
"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them...
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
— I John 4:16, NIV

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in
times of trouble. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
– 1 Peter 5: 6-7
From Our Director Of
Community Engagement, Jeremy Burleson
A SAFE HAVEN...
Feeling overwhelmed by bills piling up or
overdue rent? Like you’ll never catch up
on with all the debt you owe? The Bible
tells us that we can bring our requests
and concerns to God. When we feel like
there’s no way out, we can ask God to
take care of us.
As our community braces for a housing
crisis influx in the coming weeks and
months as we transition out of eviction
moratoriums and stays, financial burdens
are only likely to grow in leaps amongst
those affected. At CCM, our desire is to be in a position where
we can positively influence those most affected through a
demonstration of God’s love and faithfulness in action.
While the most direct and immediate method of influence might
be the financial assistance to help in covering that overdue
bill or rent, CCM also aspires to provide access to educational
services and programs that will teach and provide pathways to
eventual resolve.
Our Ministry’s ability to provide and deliver assistance to those
facing crisis is ultimately rooted in a BELIEF that God will
provide the means, but also a TRUST in a wonderful community
of partners that faithfully support our efforts. We welcome all
that God has shown His goodness, to join CCM in our labors to
provide HOPE to this community!
GOOD NEWS
From our Housing Program in the past month
• 3 new families were accepted into our housing
program
• 1 family progressed from My Father’s House to
Mothers & Children’s Home
• 2 families graduated to Teaching Housing
• 4 families in our program acquired vehicles through
donations
• 1 family secured childcare
• 2 residents secured employment
This month CCM added the 21st house to our Teaching
Housing program. Thank you to the City of Kannapolis
for making this house available to provide a home for a
young family in transition.
Alex and Renee welcomed a
beautiful little girl into the world
in March of 2020. Renee was on
maternity leave with her new
baby and Alex was working
steady. Things became scary
when Alex was notified that his
company was shutting down
temporarily due to COVID-19
restrictions. He was able to file
for unemployment benefits but
that would not come quickly
enough to make their upcoming
rent payment. Renee had
planned for maternity leave
but was also notified by her
employer that they too were
closing down and their return
date was unknown.
The young family had never
experienced this level of
uncertainty before. They were
both afraid of the unknown
with their employment and for
the safety and health of their
new baby. Alex applied for
assistance from CCM for the
first time, not knowing what to
expect. Our Financial Assistance
program was able to relieve the
anxiety by helping with their
rent and utility bill as well as
provide them with information
and referrals for additional
community resources to assist
their new family.

AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING
Housing Affordability Gap: the difference between
the median selling price of homes and the amount
purchasers (earning median household income) can
afford to pay for them. (A house priced in excess of
the target purchase price creates an “affordability
gap”).
HOUSING MUST BE ADEQUATE,
AFFORDABLE and AVAILABLE (AAA)
• Meeting the need for safety and stability
• Costing less than 30% of their household income
• Inventory vacancies to meet the level of need
Even after AAA conditions are met, there are still
barriers to housing that will keep a household
homeless or in housing crisis. Affordability applies to
households with access to the housing market.
AFFORDABILITY IS OVERCOME BY:
• Subsidized housing development that establishes
limits below Fair Market Rent (FMR)
• Rent subsidies/Vouchers applied to fair market
rental units
• Nonprofit housing programs that seek charitable
contributions and grants to accomplish affordable
housing through lower rent and provide services to
help households achieve access to the market
• Nonprofit housing agencies and government
programs that accomplish affordable housing
through lower building costs, lower financing costs
and/or down payment assistance
Many local households face barriers that prevent
access entirely.
Thank You!
We want to
express a BIG
thank you to
the Boy Scouts
for their recent
“Scouting for
Food” food
drive. To date we
have received
14,387 lbs. of food (which exceeds our
2018 record by about 3,000 lbs.!). We also
received $1,021 in donations. Using the
Second Harvest formula of $1 equals 7 lbs.
of food, the total equivalent is 21,534 lbs.!
The community certainly stepped up in a
marvelous way, and we are so grateful to
meet the needs.
Congratulations to
CCM Partner, NOVA
Credit Union on
winning the 2020
Desjardin Adult
Education Award, for their role in helping to develop and
implement “Breaking Free from the Money Traps”
Special RECOGNITION to Midway United Methodist
Church in Kannapolis for donating their facilities, serving
breakfast & providing daycare during the classes!
THANK YOU to our church volunteers who continue to
drop off meals for our housing residents throughout the
pandemic. We recognize that most of you are senior
individuals who serve faithfully despite any personal risk.
246 Country Club Drive NE, PO Box 1717
Concord, NC 28026 TEL: 704-786-4709
GIVE ONLINE: www.CooperativeMinistry.com or TEXT: ccmhelps to 44321