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Advocacy
Habitat seeks to build awareness and mobilize advocates. With your help, we can positively influence policies and regulations that impact housing affordability and land use. This includes expanding funding for housing, broadening access to first-time homeownership, and promoting strategies to address systemic and racial inequities in housing.
1 out of 3 households in Orange County pay more than 30% of their monthly paycheck on housing costs, including more than half of all renters. When housing costs are high, households are forced to make impossible tradeoffs: A safe home. Nutritious food on the table. Health care. Access to good schools. Reliable transportation.
This is why Orange Habitat advocates at all levels of government for resources and policies that promote access to stable, affordable housing and help to build communities where we all can thrive. Join us and raise your voice alongside your hammer!
Advocate with Us!
Your voice matters! Sign up below to receive periodic updates and action alerts with all the details you need to help influence housing policy. This may include actions like emailing your elected officials, signing a petition or attending a public meeting.
2026 Advocacy Priorities
Government funding is critical for Habitat and our community partners to build and preserve affordable housing in a historically unaffordable market. We advocate to:
- Increase annual funding for affordable housing at the local, state, and federal levels
- Support housing subsidies across the full spectrum of need, with an emphasis on affordable homeownership
Land use policies—such as zoning for greater density, dedicating public land for affordable housing, or streamlining development processes—directly impact access to housing. We advocate to:
- Prioritize affordable housing in local land use policies, including active regulatory rewrites in Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough
- Maximize opportunities to develop affordable housing on land owned by municipalities, universities, faith communities, and other local partners
Habitat focuses on policies that sustain affordability and stability, particularly for Black residents and households of color who are disproportionately impacted. We advocate to:
- Provide property tax relief for low-income homeowners and ensure fair assessment of homes with affordability restrictions
- Advance climate and clean energy programs that benefit low-income households, strengthening both resiliency and affordability
- Partner with local agencies and secure funding to preserve housing and prevent displacement, including in the aftermath of natural disasters
Resources
Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition
Habitat proudly partners on advocacy efforts with the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition (OCAHC), an association of non-profit housing developers, service providers, advocacy groups, and local government partners working together to provide housing opportunities for all.
Habitat’s National Advocacy
Habitat for Humanity International works collectively to influence and change policies at the Federal level and internationally.
Advocacy in Action
Contact Us!
For more information on how to get involved, contact Alice Jacoby, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy.
