Editorial: Federal recognition needed for Northside district

Chapel Hill and Orange County are not unique in their lack of affordable housing. There is not a single county in the United States that meets the demand, according to a CityLab article.

Our uniqueness lies in the incredible resources of our research university to both provide funds for and intensely research solutions to that dearth.

It ought not to be UNC’s responsibility to subsidize affordable housing, but it’s commendable that its administration did so with a $3 million interest-free loan to the town’s Northside neighborhood in March.

Chancellor Carol Folt aptly captured the spirit of this benevolent contribution with her statement.

“The truth is that UNC-Chapel Hill not only wants to be a part of this initiative, it must be a part of this initiative,” she said. “Because we’re only as strong as the communities that we live with and in and work with.”

Equally commendable was the work by the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity to provide solutions before it was shut down by the UNC Board of Governors, apparently for the outspoken political critiques of its director, Gene Nichol.

The spirit of its research steadfastly lives on with the recently created N.C. Poverty Research Fund.

The question is, how can the vital responsibilities of accommodating both affordable housing and off campus student housing coexist?

Spewing problematic and misinformed statements about inevitable market realities certainly isn’t. Neither is punishing students for minimizing housing costs by knocking down their walls to comply with town code.

In 2013, Todd Neal, a realtor and investor in the historically black Northside neighborhood, told The Daily Tar Heel that attempts to halt gentrification in Northside were futile.

“The city is attempting to tinker with supply and demand for the romantic notion of saving something that doesn’t need to be saved,” he said.

This statement dismisses the necessity of affordable housing and community cohesion.

There are solutions. The town can collaborate with developers interested in mixed use projects on Franklin Street to make off-campus housing for students readily available. At the same time, an attempt to list Northside as a Historic District in the National Register could be pursued to control prices.

Not only would this protect from further gentrification, it also seeks to better serve the individual needs of respective communities. Students would be closer to both the University and to the attractions of Franklin, away from quieter residential areas.

Chapel Hill could be a more urban place in 10 years as developers are quickly seizing opportunity to build. What is needed now is proper planning and foresight to accomplish a bifurcated goal: adding new affordable housing and protecting the little we have left, while encouraging students to live downtown.

The groundwork for a more affordable Chapel Hill is being laid, and it is imperative to stand behind further efforts despite the words of those who will stand to gain from more expensive housing.

The sustainable balance must be struck if an equitable relationship is to be had between all community members.