On Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, organized protests in Greensboro – as well as in other cities across the world – are taking place in a global effort that’s calling for some eye-opening and lofty changes in the structure of the housing market in the US and worldwide. The stated effort of the group is “to reclaim homes, resist evictions, and demand an end to housing injustice.”
The group doing the organizing in Greensboro is the American Friends Service Committee – a Quaker organization that works on housing issues in Greensboro.
The Service Committee is organizing two actions in the city as part of the Global Housing Action Days. The actions are part of a coordinated worldwide effort from April 25 to April 27 to change housing as we know it.
While “demand an end to housing injustice” is something that, on the face of it sounds like something anyone could get behind, the devil is in the details and here are some of the things the protesters in the group are demanding:
- “Homes for People, Not Profit: End real estate speculation and corporate landlord monopolies. Guarantee housing as a public good, not a commodity. Enshrine the right to affordable, dignified, and secure homes for all.”
- “Dismantle Corporate Landlord Power: Return land to communities, and prioritize cooperative and public ownership models. No more housing empires built on displacement and exploitation.”
- “Climate-Resilient Housing Now: Governments must invest in disaster-proof, carbon-neutral housing. Housing justice is climate justice – no one should face displacement or death from preventable disasters. Save land, repurpose vacant spaces, and build for a just future.”
- “Homes, Not War: Defund war and militarism – fund public housing. Stop genocide, and the destruction of cities. No more bombs on homes while people sleep in the streets. Housing is a human right, not a casualty of war.”
One Greensboro protest will be held on Friday, April 25 at 5 p.m. Concerned area residents will gather at Central City Park downtown to advocate for local policies that will protect renters from eviction through a right to counsel in eviction proceedings. (More info can be found at https://www.mobilize.us/afscnc/event/778321/.)
What many property owners might argue is that, many times, it often seems as though renters already have most of the rights: Several landlords informed the Rhino Times recently that it can take nine months to a year to evict a renter who has completely stopped making rent payments. The process and the court system seem to bend over backward to protect the renter in many cases.
Also, laws have changed and landlords are no longer allowed to engage in former methods used when a non-paying renter won’t leave. For instance, it used to be common practice for the landlord to show up at the house when the renter was away and remove the front and back doors to the house.
That’s no longer legal.
On, Saturday, April 26 at 1 p.m.: Greensboro residents will gather in front of the Guilford County Courthouse “to call out the corporate landlords and banks preying on working families.” More info on that event can be found at https://www.mobilize.us/afscnc/event/777063/.
There has been a national trend and a Guilford County trend of corporate investors buying up a great deal of available houses and turning them into rental properties.
Cecile “CC” Crawford, the North Carolina program director of the American Friends Service Committee said this week that these major changes called for could solve the world’s housing emergency.
“We are in a global crisis where millions are displaced, rents are skyrocketing, and corporate landlords are hoarding vacant homes,” Crawford said. “This is not a natural disaster—it is a manufactured crisis caused by corporate greed and government inaction. On April 25 and 26, we will take back what is ours.”
These actions are coordinated worldwide by the People’s Assembly for Housing.
According to organizers, “Across the world, we are under attack. Corporate landlords, predatory banks, hedge funds, and complicit governments are making life unbearable by taking away our housing – evicting families, driving up rents, leaving buildings unsafe, and hoarding vacant homes while millions are left homeless or crushed by unaffordable rents, mortgages, and wars. We unite across borders and backgrounds, and struggle to challenge corporate greed and government inaction.”
The American Friends Service Committee supports goals that go beyond housing, for instance, the group wants to see “a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression.”
The members are guided by the Quaker belief “in the divine light within each person. ”
Also, they are attempting to “nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions” in order to challenge injustice and bring about peace.
Right out of “Atlas Shrugged”. Making a profit is nothing but greed. You should work for humanity, “from each according to their ability to pay”.
Or you could demand by your own pocketbook.
I strongly suggest watching The Big Short. It does a reasonably good job of explaining the 2008-09 housing bubble which led to the Great Recession. As someone looking to buy a house, I see the market as being out of balance for many of the reasons listed above.
I did not know that Quakers are communists, but they must be since their demands are the same demands of communists. If renters want to stop evictions, PAY YOUR RENT. See, the problem is solved. If renters cannot pay their rent, why did they sign a lease to rent the property? And how do the Quakers plan on “reclaiming” homes? Well, Quakers, let’s start with your land at Wendover Ave and Hwy 68 split; a prim location for affordable housing. All the people who do not pay their rent will find the location to be perfect for walking to a grocery store, movie theater for entertainment, and don’t forget about all the fast-food restaurants. Your piece of land at the split should be returned to the community. How dare you Quakers keep that land for yourself, such a selfish act. The renters who do not pay their rent are moochers who know the eviction laws better than the landlords. Let these moochers live rent free on your valuable land. And what about Guilford College, let’s turn that into public housing.
You Quakers want to make demands of others. Why don’t Quakers step up to the plate first? I do agree that corporations should not buy houses to rent. However, a community HOA should be able to put the quietus to that.
So the govt –(taxpayer) –should supply free housing along with cell phones, ebt credit cards, free medical, couple meals a day at school…where does that leave the taxpayer who is struggling month to month for their families?
Never seen public housing work before. Weird ask. Can’t see the ‘public’ ownership as anything but government ownership which is the worst landlord possible.
* Gosh, what breathtaking anger displayed by these people. They seem to believe that they have the right to force others to create the wealth necessary to provide them with a home. Sorry, but if you’re lazy, stupid, or feckless – or all three – then you probably will never own your own home, or possibly even rent one.
I believe in making housing as affordable as possible. That is why all the red tape, requirements, restrictions, and regulations must be abolished. For a builder wanting to build a Million Dollar house, they’re not a problem, but for an entrepreneur trying to build houses for $150,000 they’re a deal breaker, since those regulations represent a much higher percentage of his costs – and make “affordable housing” uneconomic.
Bitter spiteful Leftists want to blame “capitalism” for their woes (it’s never their own fault, is it?) but the REAL problem is government.
Not that they will ever acknowledge that.
All good points Austin. Thanks I bought my first home in 1978. Small ranch, corner lot nothing special. 21k at 18% with 12% down. I was a carpenter making 5.50 an hour no benefits but I worked 2 jobs to make it. I struggled but eventually sold it for a profit. It’s all about self respect and a desire to succeed
Well done, Rebel. That interest rate is eye watering! I cringed at paying 10.5% on a Wafco Mills townhouse in 1989. We were there for 4 years and just about broke even when we sold it.
Around the same time my brother’s ex-girlfriend in London made 100,000 Pounds in 3 years on a flat (apartment)! London’s property prices were booming; Greensboro’s were not.
Oh well, you can’t win ’em all.
In the 1970s, it took approximately 3.7 years of the average annual wage to purchase an average house.
Here’s the breakdown:
* Average House Price in the Early 1970s: Around $26,650
* Average Annual Wage in the Early 1970s: Approximately $7,133.8
Fast forward to today (March 2025):
* Median Existing Home Sales Price (March 2025): $403,700
* Average Weekly Wage (March 2025): $1,231
* Estimated Average Annual Wage Today: $1,231/week * 52 weeks/year = $63,012
Therefore, the number of years of average wages required to buy an average house today is:
$403,700 / $63,012 ≈ 6.4 years
So, it takes significantly longer (roughly 6.4 years compared to 3.7 years) for average wages to buy an average house today than it did in the 1970s. This is considerable decrease in housing affordability over the past five decades. And even worse for us here in central NC who have experienced a very significant spike in housing costs the last ten years.
Stop comparing the economy of your youth to the economy the youth have to face today. They aren’t the same.
Chris your true lack of intelligence cracks me up. No one with a smidgen of smarts would even try to compare the 70’s to today. In the 70’s we didn’t have a cell phone bill,no cable or internet bill gas was less than $1 a gallon people rarely ate out at restaurants all insurance, automobile,home or renters was so much cheaper as was all utilities. I remember in 1976 my home phone was $21 a month. Most everyone I knew had no student debt because we were taught a trade or skill. Everyone WORKED. Take away all the necessities that people today think they can’t live without they would have no problem buying a house and PAYING for it. Without government (taxpayers dollars)
Hey Rebel,
In 1976 my base pay was $576.90 (as a buck sgt, pay grade E-5). I received $55.00 a month jump (parachute) pay, $168.30 for separate quarters. I cannot remember how much I received in separate rations but I think it was under $200.00 a month, for a total of $1000.20 a month for me, my wife and 3 children.
Be All You Can Be In the Army!
And that before taxes BTW
Maybe if we let Chris bloviate long enough, he’ll disappear up his own Black Hole…
To Austin, ROTFLMAO
You might want to lookin in the mirror Rebel.
I just showed the average growth of houses prices versus average growth of salaries . Yet you think tossing in some gibberish about cell phones breaks my argument? Weird. Maybe you need to check your own thinking as you clearly can’t keep up with basic analysis of inflation. (Hint i wasn’t including total cost of living….just the cost of an average home versus age salary).
I will type more slowly for you. He talked about buying a home on a carpenter salary back in the 70s (the decade was estimated by the price of the home and his salary). I noted that prices of avg home went up 3x the the rate of avg salaries since the 70s.. So cell phones etc…have nothing to do with my analysis or my point. And the point remains, it is much more difficult to afford a home today than it was in the 70s. Not complicated.
Don’t worry Alan Austin kissy twins. I will always be happy to counter your ignorance, bias and love of misinformation as long as you comment here.
Chris, it’s called supply and demand. There is a finite number of homes, demand is up, so the price is up. It seems birth rates are slowing, so in a decade or so, prices will drop a bit as demand wains. Free market is working fine. Luckily, anyone who dedicates themselves to buying and paying off a home can still do it. Maybe less time whining and protesting and more time working.
I was just making thr point that it is 3x harder for young families to buy a home today than the 70s.
Now that we are kicking immigrant labor out of the US, the cost to build a home is expected to go up 15% or more. And if Trump tariffs keep going, the materials cost will continue to go up as well. One estimate i read was 20% increase under this new conservstive economy. But too early to be sure.
All good points Don, maybe one day Chris will understand
Chris somehow you missed my point, it doesn’t have to be any harder today than the 70’s. It’s really a matter of priorities, need vs.want. Do I want to save money for a house or a new 1k cellphone, a house or cable, a house or internet, a house or a new car, a house or eating out every day. This is called discretionary spending Chris. It’s simply a matter of choice and priorities. In 1976 I made just over 800 a month (before taxes) My wife worked part time she was also a full time student, we had 2 small toddlers but we managed to still do what we did by making smart choices and we never received any government assistance for anything But you be you. Wanker
You’re absolutely right, Rebel. I’m always dismayed at the priorities of some of my customers who purchase fancy $50,000-70,000 trucks and cars, then casually mention that they have to pay the rent.
I don’t understand how a couple can drop six figures on a pair of vehicles and never get together a deposit on a home of their own.
Rent money is flushed money.
Rebel, you are missing the point. I am telling based on basic math that it is 3x times harder to purchase a home today than the seventies. You have to earn 3x as much to buy a house today than you did in the 70s. You can’t budget more money unless you earn more money. So no, it isn’t about personal savings priority. It’s a long festering issue ignored by government (actually enabled by government since Reagan): The Growing Wealth Gap.
But you be you.
What’s interesting about the demands the Quakers are making here is that they have had a list for entrance into Friends Home at Guilford (that is years long and generally only open to Quakers), requiring a generous buy-in based on room size, with a monthly cost based on services needed of $1795 – 7148. They expect residents to pay for this because they do not accept Medicaid payments, only long-term care insurance or private pay.
This doesn’t jive with the points made in their statement on housing.
Chris a good carpenter today can make 28-35 an hour that’s 4 1/2 times what I made in 1976. Add a spouse salary and then take away all the wants that I mentioned, focus on your needs and necessities, it can be done. It’s still a matter of priorities. Take a minute add up all the wants I mentioned and see what dollar amount you come up with. It’s more than just a cell phone.
“ The members are guided by the Quaker belief “in the divine light within each person. ””.
Show me the light in those that purposely defraud landlords and Government agencies. Show me the light in those that destroy property purposely.
Start there, not in the belief of entitlement. No one is entitled to free housing! Work for it.
‘shelter’ can be created easy, cheap, & fast. ‘housing’ that meets ‘demands’ – not so much. mythland guilford – where ‘beggars are choosy’. building for the mentally ill requires the same infrastructure as any prison: fireproof, vandalproof, cameras everywhere, police, fire, ems, plumber, exterminator on site . . .
I hope Affordable Housing Management is reading and comprehending to this message in the Rhino Times because all they do is put people out due to who they like and don’t like. They also keep raising the rent every year and not adding anything to the communities they manage making it non affordable.
The People’s Assembly for Housing are a bunch of breathtakingly stupid, angry bitter morons who fail to understand human nature and how the World works.
Full of hate, too.
I was blessed to know CC Crawford for a few years, so I don’t doubt her good intentions, but her ideas are unworkable and unscriptural. Trying to use government to force people to do what YOU want them to do is NEVER a good idea.
Well said.
From each according to their ability. To each according to their need.
Didn’t a 19th Century devil worshiping German Jew say that first…?
If they worshiped the devil, they weren’t Jewish. Weird thing to say.
You don’t know what you’re talking about Chrissy, as usual.
A person of any race can become a devil worshiper as was Marx.
“‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'”
I would just like to make it mandatory for landlords to have a REASON to displace their current tenants. I lived in one apartment for over 20 years, paid rent on time, no complaints from neighbors but new owners didn’t like me because I reported their maintenance people as stealing liars. They were eventually fired but I still got the boot. Greensboro Justice.
Sounds like the landlord had a reason they just didn’t like you. It was their property that’s the only reason they needed
In Montana, Republicans are set to pass House Bill 492, proposed by Rep Zolnikov, which drastically reduces the rules, regulations, requirements, restrictions and red tape associated with building affordable housing.
This will result in more “affordable housing”.
But don’t expect Democrats to endorse these reforms. They’d rather rant and rage and blame capitalism, and demand that they get something for nothing.
I support it to a point. Having just built my house a couple years ago, I really didn’t experience any regulations that made building more expensive except for my septic system. Of anything I had to push for higher quality such as my insulation.
Any have exams of regulations and inflate the cost of a home? Just curious.
‘average’ housing of the future will be tiny boxes in dense urban clusters in order to preserve farm, field & wilderness – or avoid intense radiation spots – or ‘RV’s sans brick n mortar : where is gramma ? I – 40 N raleigh @ 70mph Home Sweet Home ! the home of the future will be an RV towing MV towing Boat towing cart towing skateboarder towing . . .
The cost of housing has increased in our area because of the intense push by the state and local politicians for business growth to bring in new taxes. Whether the citizens agree or not with this future for our area, the result is a huge influx of new residents to our county who need housing. Many are from Western states and expect housing that’s different from what has traditionally been built here. They are used to fenced yards, paved driveways, 2-car garages, open floor plans, and neighborhood developments where houses are on smaller lots.
People who live in multi-family housing are used to paying several thousand dollars for a one or two-bedroom apartment in a gated community with luxury amenities like a gym, spa, pool, etc.
The grander the homes, the more they cost, and the more difficult it is for people who have lived here and work traditional jobs to afford housing. These new jobs aren’t for current citizens, they’re for those recruited to move here.
This growth will continue based on the constant business incentives, road building in the county, and statements made by politicians currently in office. Being from California originally, as this happened there, it was a disaster. People were fine as long as their house wasn’t destroyed by a fire, storm, or earthquake, but no insurance coverage would allow them to replace it once it was damaged. The cost to rebuild was much higher than insurance would pay, insurance companies refused coverage, or the cost of coverage was too much to afford. People were forced to leave the state.
There’s little hope that the high cost of housing will be lowered. Our area is “targeted for growth”. Lots of people are thrilled about it (I’m not one, I’m a naysayer, one of those who moved here years ago hoping for life on Walton’s Mountain, wishing to leave the craziness of CA behind me, no such luck). But reality bites, and planning for one’s future means looking at what has happened in the Western states. So either buy now at low interest rates (when we bought our house here, the rate was 15%, so I don’t have much sympathy for anyone, we financed for 15 years and paid it off in less by paying ahead on principle meaning no eating out, few vacations or movies or nights out or luxuries). Live in that home forever and don’t move because you’ll never be able to afford another one. Or rent for a while and then move outta here. That’s what we’d do if we were 45 – 50 years younger. But this is our home, so we’re staying.
i’m concerned about the number of people in guilford co who are living in motor vehicles & RV’s . many home buyers get into that house because of generational wealth . . . VA home loans for returning soldiers was a big successful stimulus: what would that look like today ? i luv CA but only the $$ can fully enjoy it !
Glad you’re staying, we need all the sane people we can get (even if they’re insomniacs).
i’ve always rented satisfactory structures – usually single family homes – & never felt motivated to ‘own’ because i had satisfactory use of the place & acceptable neighbors. not owning gives me the ability to relocate immediately with all the ‘stuff’ i value. having a reliable income makes ‘ownership’ irrelevant. if the house burns down you & your valuable ‘x’ keeps on keepin on !