Northeastern Regional Office News
NERO Staff Travel to Ocracoke to assist with an Affordable Housing Study
Trey Smith and Debra Hawkins traveled to Ocracoke Island to assist in the drafting of an affordable housing study. The Ocracoke Foundation commissioned the study in order to develop action strategies to address the pressing need in their community. The isolated beach community faces a shortage of affordable housing due to the high cost of land and houses on the island. The community struggles with finding adequate affordable housing for core service providers such as teachers and first responders. NERO staff met with stakeholders to hear their concerns and ideas on how to create more affordable housing on the island. Staff planners will draft a report that identifies action strategies to increase the amount and quality of affordable housing.
Jones and Pamlico County Selected to Participate in the 21st Century Communities Program
The 21st Century Communities Initiative have selected four new counties to participate in the 6th round of the program. Jones and Pamlico counties join Stokes and Cleveland to be the latest communities to receive the designation. North Carolina’s 21st Century Communities program harnesses resources to help challenged communities thrive in a modern economic climate. Through collaborations and creative partnerships, this program directs human and financial resources and provides technical assistance to targeted communities that support the expansion of broad-based and comprehensive economic development plans and initiatives. Initiated in 2001 in response to business and industry closures and the loss of thousands of jobs in the manufacturing and textile industries, the 21st Century Communities program has positively impacted the state’s most challenged communities and helped jump start economic development.