FAQ

How is North Carolina projected to grow in the future?

In 23 years, our population will be 50% higher than it was in 2000. That's over 4 million additional people, which is about the equivalent of South Carolina's present population. We just exceeded New Jersey's population and both Michigan and Ohio are within sight. We must build the public facilities now to handle the additional 4 million people projected to move into our state during the next 23 years.

How have schools been affected by funding not keeping pace with growth in North Carolina?

We are currently trying to educate 178,000 K-12 students in mobile units that are often in conditions that are unsafe, unsecure, or not conducive to learning. We have tens of thousands of other children in dilapidated school buildings that date back to the 1920s or before.

Are North Carolina's waterways and land at risk?

We have 3,000 miles of streams and rivers that do not meet clean water standards. We are losing 100,000 acres of prime forest, farmlands and open spaces for parks and recreation to development each year.

How do water and sewer systems impact rural communities?

More than 5.8 million North Carolinians currently depend on public water systems and 4.4 million on public sewer systems - and those numbers are growing exponentially. North Carolina has 114 mostly smaller communities who need new development, but are restricted because of insufficient waste water treatment capacity. Some towns have no sewer and depend entirely on septic tanks.

Much of the state's public water and sewer facilities date back 40 years or more and are now failing. Pipes of wood, cast iron and clay have clogged or crumbled and asbestos concrete water lines pose health concerns.

Our roads are jammed in the cities, a problem that annually costs our economy billions in inefficiencies and many families the lives of loved ones. Crowded roads with crumbling pavement and unsafe features are costing North Carolina motorists $5.3 billion a year in wrecks, delays and vehicle wear and tear, according to a national study.

Long-promised safer roads to smaller communities are still on the drawing boards - sometimes years past their planned starting dates. Road construction inflation - caused in large part by rising energy costs - has effectively cut road construction money nearly in half.

Is there really a lack of affordable housing?

More than 2 million North Carolina residents live in substandard housing or are in housing they cannot afford. Most vulnerable are persons with disabilities, fixed income seniors and single-parent families.

Substandard housing hinders the health and educational achievement of our children. A recent study by the NC Housing Coalition estimates that North Carolina spends $95 million a year in health care costs for children living in substandard housing. Ultimately, few things contribute as directly to the health, stability and well-being of any community as does the availability of quality, affordable housing.