Repairing the Gap: Why Rental Home Repairs Matter for Charlotte’s Housing Future

At Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte, we see firsthand what safe, stable housing can do for a family. Every day, our team walks into homes where a leaking roof, faulty wiring, inaccessible bathrooms, or broken HVAC units threaten the health and safety of our neighbors. And every day, we’re reminded that preserving affordable housing doesn’t just mean helping homeowners — it must also include the thousands of Charlotte families who rent their homes.

That’s why we’re proud to share a new report, Repairing the Gap: Recommendations for an Equitable Rental Repair Program in Mecklenburg County, created by students in the UNC Charlotte Gerald G. Fox Master of Public Administration program. This project, completed in partnership with A Home For All through United Way of Greater Charlotte, digs into one big question our community hasn’t yet solved:

How do we ensure renters have access to the same healthy, safe living conditions as homeowners, especially when landlords may lack the resources to make critical repairs?

This report is an important first step in exploring that answer.


A Deep Dive Into Charlotte’s Rental Repair Needs

The MPA capstone team examined national best practices, conducted interviews with repair organizations and funders across the country, and used Charlotte’s Quality of Life data to identify the neighborhoods where rental repair needs are most urgent.

Their findings confirm what many of us working in housing have long known:

  • Many renters in Mecklenburg County live in aging homes with significant deferred maintenance.

  • Small-scale landlords who provide most of our naturally occurring affordable housing often lack the resources to make major repairs.

  • Current repair funding streams overwhelmingly support homeowners, leaving renters without access to programs that could dramatically improve their health, safety, and stability.

The report identifies key ZIP codes with the highest repair needs, including 28205, 28208, 28210, 28216, 28213, 28217, 28262, and 28273, and provides 11 thoughtful recommendations to guide the development of a rental repair pilot.

Why This Matters for RTGC’s Mission

At RTGC, our mission has always centered on creating safe, healthy homes and revitalizing communities. But as housing costs rise and wage growth lags behind, many low-income families in Charlotte, especially renters, are living with dangerous conditions simply because they have no viable path to repairs.

If we truly want to preserve affordable housing in the Charlotte region, we can’t leave rental units out of the equation. Protecting renters protects families, stabilizes neighborhoods, and prevents displacement. This work aligns directly with our belief that everyone deserves to live in a home that is warm, dry, safe, and dignified.

A Special Thank You

We are especially grateful to Harrison Rose, our own MPA Graduate Fellow, who played an integral role in coordinating this project. Harrison helped bridge RTGC’s on-the-ground perspective with the academic research and policy analysis that shape this report. We’re proud to support emerging public service leaders, and we’re thrilled to see Harrison’s work contributing to a broader community conversation.

What Comes Next

This report is not the final word — it’s the starting point. Over the coming months, we’re looking forward to conversations with:

  • other home repair providers,

  • community partners,

  • landlords and tenant advocates,

  • local leaders, and

  • philanthropic and government funders.

Our goal is simple: to determine what a sustainable, equitable rental repair strategy could look like for Greater Charlotte.

We know this won’t be easy. But we also know it’s essential. Preserving affordable housing doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through intentional policy, collaboration, and a shared commitment to protecting our neighbors who are most at risk.

A Home for All Means Repairs for All

Charlotte’s housing crisis is multifaceted, complex, and deeply human. Reports like this help illuminate the gaps, opportunities, and possibilities ahead. As we continue serving homeowners across our five-county region, we’re excited to explore ways to expand this work and ensure renters have access to safe and healthy homes too.

You can read the full report here. And as always, thank you for supporting Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte as we work toward a future where every neighbor has a safe place to call home.

If you’d like to connect about this research or join the conversation about rental repair solutions, we’d love to hear from you.



Bethany Morrison