North Carolina is a hotspot in the nation’s eviction crisis. As of 2016, the state’s rate of evictions and eviction filings were nearly double national rates. New reporting shines a light on the specific problems in Durham County, where gentrification is pushing out long-time residents and advocates say the city is in a time of crisis.
Data from the Eviction Lab shows that the rate of eviction filings in Durham County in 2016 was nearly twice the statewide rate. So, what are city and county officials doing to remedy the problem?
Host Frank Stasio talks to Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan about her reporting on housing, evictions and public policy. Vaughn is a government and politics reporter for The News & Observer and The Herald Sun who has covered Durham for more than a decade.
She outlines the work of the Durham Eviction Diversion Program; the $10 million affordable housing loan fund to be launched this summer in Durham; and the $95 million affordable housing bond that will be on the ballot in November. She also shares her reporting on a proposed policy from local government leaders on how to handle tent camps in Durham County.
