A mother in Raleigh has been searching for an affordable home for her and her 9-year-old son for the past 5 years.
"I've had two evictions in my past," said Kara Sanders.
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All they have now is their car.
"We have stuffies, clothes in the back, and a sleeping bag," Sanders said.
As the years pass, home prices continue to rise. A report from Urban Planning Firm Demographia found that Raleigh’s affordability is identical to Austin, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee.
WRAL previously reported on a local nonprofit CASA recently opening Kings Ridge Apartments to provide affordable housing options.
Although there are 100 units in this complex, many people say there is still a much greater need.
“Saving money is not an option at this point,” said Jenee Williams, a Raleigh resident of 13 years.
Williams lives in one of the city’s affordable housing complexes and sees the ongoing challenges.
“Like I said, even on assisted living, HUD, Section 8—it’s still a struggle because you still have bills,” she added.
Research from the North Carolina Housing Coalition shows that 47% of Wake County renters are struggling to make rent payments in 2025.
Wake County officials say multiple factors contribute to this crisis.
“One of the things we are seeing is that wages for jobs aren’t keeping pace with the costs of living here,” said Alicia Arnold, Wake County’s deputy housing director.
In the meanwhile, Sanders is working toward affording a year’s worth of rent, which the housing coalition says requires an average income of more than $70,000.
“Just be kind,” Sanders said. “People have a number of reasons why they don’t have housing.”
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Gracie Palmer is a NC native, originally from Charlotte. She is currently studying broadcast journalism and political science at the University of Miami.