The Political Beat: Bringing affordable housing to Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — Affordable housing continues to be an issue for residents in every corner of Charlotte. The Political Beat’s Joe Bruno sat down with the head of one of the many groups working to solve the shortage.

Ralphine Caldwell is the executive director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Charlotte. LISC supports projects and programs to revitalize communities. It also aims to bring residents greater economic opportunity. Simply put, the organization helps Charlotte build more affordable housing.

“We are a 40-year organization, and we were created to really tap resources from philanthropic, government sectors to be able to place those same resources into our community,” Caldwell told Channel 9.

The national community development nonprofit opened in the Queen City in 2019 to handle the city’s $53 million Charlotte Housing Opportunity Investment Fund.

“It’s been quite a success for us,” she said. “We have closed on over 1,500 units of affordable housing thus far -- so much so that we are now uplifting a second fund, because there’s definitely a need.

“... Our goal and our focus is we’re going to partner again with the city of Charlotte to be able to leverage the city’s housing trust fund dollars, so that we can really maximize the impact of both financing vehicles to build affordable housing,” she said.

>> In the video at the top of this page, the Political Beat’s Joe Bruno discusses efforts and trends in Charlotte’s affordable housing market with Ralphine Caldwell.

Editor’s note: In the video interview above, LISC Charlotte Executive Director Ralphine Caldwell stated LISC supported 21,000 affordable housing units nationally in 2022. That figure was for 2021. The 2022 numbers are not available, according to LISC.

(WATCH BELOW: Mecklenburg commissioners to continue to invest in affordable housing)

Mecklenburg commissioners to continue to invest in affordable housing

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