Dear Community,
I’m reaching out with an urgent request. The future of fair housing protections in North Carolina is at risk. Last week, we received indications from within HUD that it would stop funding Legal Aid of NC’s crucial fair housing work.
The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, which helps protect people from housing discrimination, is facing a 77% budget reduction. The Office of Community Planning and Development, which provides housing assistance to veterans, people with disabilities, disaster survivors, and struggling families, is set to lose 84% of its funding. Rural communities could be left without support altogether.
This fight is personal for me, as I know it is for many of you. As a mother of a child with autism, I know how important fair housing protections are for families like mine. Whether it’s disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or family status, these protections ensure that people in protected classes aren’t pushed to the margins when they seek a home.
Imagine a disabled veteran—someone who risked everything to protect our country—searching for accessible housing, only to be met with closed doors and no one to fight for them. A family recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, waiting for help to rebuild their home, only to be told the support they were counting on has vanished. These are real people, that could be left struggle alone when they need us most.
For decades, Legal Aid of North Carolina has been a safety net for those facing housing discrimination. We serve all 100 counties, ensuring that veterans, seniors, families with children, and people with disabilities have access to safe, stable housing. But now, with these funding cuts, we need your support to continue this work.
Your donation—whether $50 or $5,000—will help sustain our fair housing work at a time when so many people are at risk of losing their homes.
Please stand with us. Give today to protect housing for those who need it most.
With gratitude,
Ashley Campbell
CEO, Legal Aid of North Carolina
P.S. Please consider all ways of giving, such as required minimum distributions from your IRA, giving via stock or through your donor advised fund. Your support will strengthen our mission in 2025 and beyond. Request a call or meeting.