REDRESS IN CHARLOTTE

Meet Our Senior Charlotte Campaign Organizer:

Screenshot 2024-03-27 134347

Greg Jarrell

Greg Jarrell is based in west Charlotte's Enderly Park neighborhood, where he has lived and worked on equitable housing issues since 2005. He is one of the co-founders of QC Family Tree, a cultural organizing group in his neighborhood, and a founding organizer of Charlotte's West Side Community Land Trust. He has been co-chair of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice, on the leadership team of Charlotte's Community Benefits Coalition, and continues to agitate and organize for housing justice in Charlotte.

In addition to housing organizing, Greg is a writer who has published widely, especially around housing issues. His recent book, Our Trespasses: White Churches and the Taking of American Neighborhoods, examines the influence of white churches in planning, executing, and profiting from the federal Urban Renewal projects of the 1950s and 60s, in Charlotte and beyond. He and his spouse Helms are both ordained ministers, and are parents to two teens.

To get in touch with Greg, email: gjarrell@redressmovement.org

ALL IN FOR 100

On the ballot on November 5th, Charlotteans were asked to approve a $100 million dollar bond for the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) - and it PASSED! We’ve been approving bonds like this for over 20 years to fill the HTF and  construct new affordable homes, so that every Charlottean has a safe place to live. Now that this bond has passed, we’ll be pushing for the city to reserve $25M for homeownership programs. We not only want good affordable housing, we want to build staying power for low-income residents.

 

WE WANT 100 2

What is the Housing Trust Fund? How does it work?

  • The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is a 20+ year old city fund that has helped create or preserve over 10,000 affordable homes.
  • Roughly every two years, we have a chance to move this work forward by voting to allow the city to issue new bonds that will fill the HTF. 
  • Every time it’s been on the ballot, the HTF bonds have passed with overwhelming support. 
  • This year, advocates successfully urged the city to increase the bond from $50M to $100M to meet our increasing need for housing that is affordable for our residents.
  • If passed, developers will apply for the funds to build or preserve affordable housing for both renters and homeowners, acquire land for that purpose, or provide shelter. In each instance there are public hearings and the City Council ultimately approves the funding.

Ready to Get involved in CLT?

We plan to stay active and engaged as the city council and staff work to distribute and allocate these bond funds now that the Housing Trust Fund has passed. We support the city’s current framework for spending the bond funds, especially focusing $25 million on affordable homeownership projects. We’ll also work with city leaders to be sure that households in new affordable housing units have many options for all of the city’s neighborhoods and districts. Now, two weeks after the election, many people are looking for ways they can take meaningful action. At Redress Movement, we have several ways you can join our work for housing justice in Charlotte and in the United States:

Contact your Charlotte City Council representatives directly regarding the new Housing Trust Fund bond’s passage. Congratulate them on the good work and encourage them to see it through to completion!

 

 

WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR CHARLOTTE ORGANIZER?

Email Greg at gjarrell@redressmovement.org