Weathering the Storm: Housing Challenges and Resilience in North Carolina’s Coastal Region

In this episode of Shoresides, we explore the challenges faced by low-income and elderly homeowners in Carteret County, North Carolina—a place of vibrant coastal life but growing climate vulnerability. Host Nicholas Magrino speaks with Catissa Head, Executive Director of Coastal Community Action, whose organization supports those struggling to maintain safe and livable homes amid increasing financial strain and extreme weather.

Head describes the housing crisis affecting her clients, from fixed-income seniors barely managing property upkeep to families forced into unsafe living conditions due to financial and bureaucratic barriers. Coastal Community Action offers essential services to sustain its clients’ homes and lives through weatherization, urgent repairs, and community advocacy.

Head’s work highlights the critical need for safe spaces and affordable housing in rural coastal North Carolina, where community action agencies play a vital role but face significant obstacles. Her story sheds light on a population often overlooked but deeply affected by our changing world.

Listen to learn about Coastal Community Action's efforts and the community resilience it fosters in the face of these pressing challenges.

4o