Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro

Housing

Making affordable housing a priority for our community

The Community Foundation’s housing efforts are focused on convening, grantmaking, and advocacy. In partnership with the City of Greensboro and other key stakeholders, our goal is to leverage resources for maximum impact.

The Challenge

Understanding housing needs in guilford county

Families are
Cost-Burdened

Families that spend more than 30% of their income on housing are considered.
In Guilford County, 31% of households are considered cost-burdened.

Properties Are Aging

The majority of Greensboro multifamily housing is more than 50 years old. This can have a negative effect on the health of residents and the surrounding community.

Homes are Costly

49% of renters in Guilford County have difficulty affording their homes. 20% of homeowners have difficulty affording their homes.

Evictions are rising

In Guilford County, 12,003 families faced an eviction in 2023. When a family loses their home due to overwhelming costs, it takes a toll on the family and the entire community.

Our Solution

Greensboro housing loan fund

The Greensboro Housing Loan Fund is a public-private partnership for attainable housing. The targeted $32.5 million loan program, of which $21 million has been raised to date, is aimed at for-profit and nonprofit developers of local, multifamily structures. The program’s goal is to increase the inventory of attainable housing in Greensboro through new development and repair and rehabilitation of existing housing. Rehabilitating older multifamily buildings improves the health of residents, extends the useful life of housing, and revitalizes neighborhoods.

$ 0 Million

Institute Capital (ICAP), an affiliate of the National Institute of Minority Economic Development, will offer loans to borrowers who cannot typically get capital from mainstream financial institutions, and who are working to create thriving economies in diverse Greensboro communities. These loans are targeted to attainable housing developers, community-based development organizations, and small businesses. 

ContactT.F. Congleton, tcongleton@theinstitutenc.org, 252.916.5211, Institute Capital (ICAP)

$ 0 Million

Self-Help Ventures Fund, part of Self-Help’s family of nonprofit organizations, will offer loans to borrowers who, having secured market rate senior debt financing, require supportive gap financing for both preservation of existing attainable housing and construction of new attainable housing. These loans are targeted to sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, corporations, and nonprofit or for-profit entities. 

Contact: JJ Froehlich, john.froehlich@self-help.org, 919.794.6792, Self-Help Ventures Fund & Credit Union

If you are interested in investing in the fund, please contact Walker Sanders at wsanders@cfgg.org.

CFGG
ICAP
Self-Help
City of GSO

About our Housing Initiative

Our housing initiative is a shared effort between the City of Greensboro and the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. Initiative funds are used to commission research on the state of housing in Greensboro as well as the effects of affordable housing. These efforts help shape a shared vision for successful, sustainable, and affordable housing for all residents.

Affordable housing options are necessary for the vitality of our community and its future. Several studies show that stable, healthy, and affordable housing improves residents’ health and lowers health costs. A Center for Outcomes Research and Education report showed a 12% decrease in Medicaid costs for families in affordable housing. Studies also show that stable, healthy, and affordable housing can improve children’s academic performance.

What’s more, the National Association of Home Builders estimates that each 100 units of affordable housing development generates 152 jobs, more than $800,000 in one-time local tax and fee revenue, and local wage and business earnings of $2 million annually.

Investing in affordable housing options can meet the pressing needs of Greensboro’s residents, while also achieving the added benefits of contributing to the area’s economy, increasing positive health and academic outcomes, and creating a more sustainable community.

The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro envisions a future where everyone in our community lives in safe, affordable housing. Our housing initiative seeks to address Greensboro’s housing affordability gap through collective community action that:

Improves quality and increases the quantity of affordable housing.
Equips people to better afford and access housing.
Creates a culture of collaboration to support long-term solutions for affordable housing
Commits to sustainable, long-term resources for affordable housing
Donate Online

Gifts made online by credit card on our secure site will be credited to the charitable fund that you designate net of standard credit card processing fees. You will receive an acknowledgment and receipt of your gift via email from us.

Donate by Check

A check made out to “Housing Initiative” can be sent by mail to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro at:

Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro
301 North Elm St., Suite 100
Greensboro, NC 27401

Matching Gifts

Ask your employer if they have a matching gifts program. They are often dollar-for-dollar, but some companies could double or triple your original donation.

Stocks and Other Gifts

Gifts of stocks, securities, real estate, IRA distributions, or life insurance are accepted to support any fund. 

Legacy Gifts

A bequest is a flexible and impactful way to give for generations to come. Changes can be made due to personal circumstances at any time.

Cryptocurrency

As part of our ongoing efforts to adapt to emerging trends in giving, we are now pleased to accept cryptocurrency as a form of donation. 

Housing Partnerships and Funds

Bringing solutions that support the community

The housing funds at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro serve as a vital resource to address housing challenges within our community, ensuring safe and affordable housing for all residents. These funds not only support housing initiatives but also drive innovative solutions and partnerships aimed at creating sustainable, inclusive neighborhoods that enhance the overall quality of life in Greensboro.

The creation of the Housing loan fund was recommended in the City of Greensboro’s 10-year Housing Plan in 2020, and the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro has partnered with the City to make the plan a reality. Greensboro City Council committed $5 million from the 2022 housing bond funds to the ICAP portion of the program. Both the City and the Community Foundation continues to secure support through private philanthropy.

Emergency Tenant Assistance Program (ETAP)

ETAP helps families and individuals stabilize their lives by accessing safe, healthy, affordable housing. This program operates as a partnership between the Greensboro Housing Coalition (GHC), the Community Foundation, and the City of Greensboro. Clients are counseled and screened for eligibility by GHC, and if their situations warrant assistance with rent and utility deposits, GHC recommends financial support.

Affordable Housing Fund

This fund was created with support from the Ford Foundation, the Community Foundation, and matching donors to provide grantmaking and revolving support for collaborative affordable housing projects generally involving nonprofits, governmental agencies, builders, and others.

Kavanagh Housing Fund

Established by Roger Kavanagh, this fund is used on a permanent, revolving basis for affordable housing with an emphasis on involving for-profit building contractors to leverage public/private partnerships.

Affordable Housing Management (AHM) Resident Education and Enrichment Fund

In partnership with the Community Foundation, this program assists residents living in AHM apartment communities with up to $1,000 per household for education to enhance their employability. AHM staff collaborated with Community Foundation staff to develop the program, program guidelines, and a streamlined application process. Since the program’s launch in 2013, over $54,000 has been granted to support over 60 individuals, many of whom secured employment as a result of the program.

Community Housing Solutions (CHS) Home Rehab and Repair Program

The Community Foundation partners with Self-Help Credit Union and CHS to place funds on deposit at Self-Help Credit Union. This provides CHS with the ability to secure a line of credit that is used to purchase and rehab homes. CHS acquires vacant, abandoned, or foreclosed properties to rehab and resell back to qualified low-income homeowners. CHS has acquired over 30 homes since 2007, investing nearly $3 million in the Greater Greensboro community.

Housing Matters: News & Updates

Stay informed about the latest developments, initiatives, and stories related to affordable housing in Greensboro. Explore updates on community programs, impactful projects, and efforts to ensure safe and accessible housing for all.

Equity Allies Giving Circle Welcomes New Members

A group of Community Foundation donors committed to addressing equity issues in Greensboro has launched the Equity Allies Giving Circle. An outgrowth of the Equity Allies affinity group, founded in 2019, the giving circle focuses on pooling members’ donations to make impact grants that target systemic inequities in Greensboro. Led

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