HOUSING COORDINATORS / ECOSYSTEM BUILDERS

Establish and train a sufficient number of county-level housing coordinators/ecosystem builders to support a coordinated regional approach to managing the full housing spectrum (from homelessness to homeownership) with a focus on populations experiencing barriers to housing. At the most fundamental level, having a regional approach will help tenants navigate into suitable housing units.

CREATE STATEWIDE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE

Housing Coordinators / Ecosystem Builders

Establish housing coordinator/ecosystem builder roles at the county-level and provide standardized training. Staff in these new roles can provide a coordinated regional approach to addressing the existing housing ecosystem and community assets, as well as guide referred tenants into suitable housing units. The housing coordinators/ecosystem builders should have access to and use a data platform that provides up-to-the-minute housing market data and focus on populations that have historically faced barriers to affordable housing. This promising strategy requires investment in:

Labor hours to complete analysis of existing roles in the region and degree of standardization across roles
Salaries for new housing coordinators/ecosystem builders (should reflect salary levels in the communities they're serving)
Labor hours to develop and deliver standardized trainings for the housing coordinators/ecosystem builders

Investments should be directed toward existing city/county-level Housing Authorities or non-profit agencies that can hire and manage the housing coordinators.

Labor hours to complete analysis of existing roles in the region and degree of standardization across roles
Salaries for new Housing Coordinators/Ecosystem Builders (should reflect salary levels in the communities they’re serving)
Labor hours to develop and deliver standardized trainings for the Housing Coordinators/Ecosystem Builders

Investments should be directed toward existing city/county-level Housing Authorities or non-profit agencies that can hire and manage the housing coordinators.

Evaluation of Promising Strategy in Initial Target Regions

Learn more about the Investment Map’s selection of Initial Target Regions.

At the statewide level, there are housing specialists at the Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs) and housing coordinators throughout the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

At the regional level, there are several HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies, including Financial Pathways of the Piedmont, CCCS of Greater Greensboro, Housing Authority of the City of High Point, Housing Foundation of America, Greensboro Branch, Housing Consultants Group, Housing Authority of the City of Greensboro, and the Greensboro Housing Coalition.

Many communities have not formalized the role of Housing Coordinator, others use coordinators in a limited capacity, and others do not have any at all.

Formalized coordinator/ecosystem builder roles established. Metric = % of affordable housing demand in a region that is covered by coordinator capacity. Metric = Coordinators/builders follow agreed-upon protocols for addressing housing issues across the region.
The connection between roles and data platforms was established. Metric = coordinators/Builders have ready, dependable access to a data platform that provides real-time housing market data, with a focus on populations that have historically faced barriers to affordable housing.
Tenants seeking housing gain enhanced navigation experience. Metric = tenants experience similar look-and-feel of program experience across counties and regions.

The region has several HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies, including Consumer Credit Counseling Service of WNC and Olive Hill Community Economic Development Corporation. Several Public Housing Authorities in the region, including Northwestern Regional Housing Authority and Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, employ housing coordinators.

Many communities have not formalized the role of Housing Coordinator, some communities use coordinators in a limited capacity, and other communities do not have any coordinators at all.

Assets: Asheville, NC City Government

Formalized coordinator/ecosystem builder roles established. Metric = % of affordable housing demand in a region that is covered by coordinator capacity. Metric = coordinators/builders follow agreed-upon protocols for addressing housing issues across the region.
The connection between roles and data platforms was established. Metric = coordinators/Builders have ready, dependable access to a data platform that provides real-time housing market data, with a focus on populations that have historically faced barriers to affordable housing.
Tenants seeking housing gain enhanced navigation experience. Metric = tenants experience similar look-and-feel of program experience across counties and regions.