Area governments review housing policies

Area government bigwigs are putting Orange County's affordable housing record under the microscope.

The Assembly of Governments met last night in the Carrboro Town Hall to examine the effectiveness of affordable housing policies in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County and brainstorm measures for managing future housing demands.

Moderator Joal Hall Broun, a Carrboro alderman, opened the session by asking local town council members about how the area can meet the needs of an urban population that is increasingly unable to live in close proximity to its major employer - the University.

Roy Williford, planning director for Carrboro, said residents are eligible for subsidized affordable housing if their median family income is less than 80 percent of the median income for the Triangle, or $69,800.

Rental housing is generally considered affordable if it costs less than one-third of household income.

Affordable housing can take many shapes and forms, including town houses, condos and single-family homes. Chapel Hill vernacular ordinances require that homes constructed specifically for affordable housing blend in with surrounding neighborhoods.

Between 2001 and 2004, more than $8 million in public money and about the same amount in private funds spurred the construction of 200 units of affordable housing in Orange County.

"We are fortunate to have active nonprofit partners," said Tara Fikes, housing development coordinator for Orange County.

In Chapel Hill, a town code strongly suggests that developers set aside 15 percent of housing projects for affordable housing.

Carrboro is considering a similar code.

"It pushes developers significantly but not too much," said Jim Ward, a Chapel Hill Town Council member. "(Fifteen percent) is obviously a financially sound number, and that number could go higher."

John Herrera, Carrboro alderman, said he fears New York-level rents if affordable housing is not expanded. "Fifteen percent is low," he said. "Building a dozen houses at a time is not going to fulfill our needs."

But other panelists expressed concern that adding more red tape in an already heavily taxed and regulated process could deter developers.

Moses Carey Jr., chairman of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, said high taxes complicate the issue.

"Home owners are being taxed out of houses," he said. "Obviously taxes and fees add to the problem. It's a concern to all of us."

 

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