Shifting Narratives: Igniting High Point to End Homelessness!

“Shifting Narratives: Igniting High Point to End Homelessness!” was a community event hosted by Partners Ending Homelessness (PEH) and The Foundation for a Healthy High Point on September 25, 2025, in High Point, NC. The event aimed to shift public perception of homelessness, discuss the root causes, and promote innovative solutions by bringing together residents, healthcare professionals, service providers, and other stakeholders for panel discussions and a resource fair. 

Innovative Research Insights presented the Racial Equity Scorecard, a tool designed to highlight disparities across education, health, housing, employment, public safety, and civic engagement. Its purpose is to document systemic inequities rooted in historic racialized policies and to track progress toward greater equity over time.

Findings from the scorecard underscore significant disparities. Economically, racial gaps remain in income, unemployment, and homeownership. Educationally, students of color experience lower graduation and college enrollment rates. Health outcomes reflect shorter life expectancy and higher rates of chronic illness. Civic participation is uneven, with disparities in voter turnout and leadership representation. Public safety concerns, including youth violence and crime, disproportionately affect communities of color. Food access is also limited in specific neighborhoods, reinforcing inequities.

Additional housing data was presented highlighting a growing affordability crisis. Between 2000 and 2024, population growth outpaced housing supply, leaving Guilford County nearly 10,000 units short. Home values almost doubled since 2016, while rents rose more than 40 percent from 2010 to 2023, including a sharp increase since 2020. Median household incomes, although up 47 percent, have not kept pace with these costs. Rental market compression leaves a 21,000-unit deficit across the Piedmont. Community voices in High Point further emphasized the need for affordable housing, safety, youth opportunities, and investment in existing neighborhoods.