TITLE: Title
Exploration of Affordable Housing on Town-Owned Land
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is for the Board to receive an update on work staff and the Affordable Housing Task Force conducted on the exploration of possible affordable housing development strategies on town-owned land.
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DEPARTMENT: Town Manager’s Office, Planning Department
CONTACT INFORMATION: Julie Eckenrode, Assistant to the Town Manager, 919-918-7308, jeckenorde@townofcarrboro.org; Trish McGuire, Planning Director, pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org
INFORMATION: Town staff and the Affordable Housing Task Force explored the potential for affordable housing development on parcels of town-owned land. This agenda item is to provide the Board an update on this work, for the Board to consider continuing to pursue this strategy, and for the Board to provide feedback on preferred methods for moving forward, if desired.
Overview of Exploration
In 2016, staff began exploring the possibility of facilitating development of affordable housing on publicly-owned land. This work began in partnership with Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill through a regional workgroup. This workgroup established a standard set of criteria for evaluating publicly owned land to assist in determining viability of development on existing parcels. Attachment D has more information on this criteria and the process of identifying potential sites.
Town staff was then able to identify town-owned land that were potentially feasible sites for affordable housing development. Staff worked with the Affordable Housing Task Force to further analyze sites and explore possibilities for facilitating development. This work culminated in the identification of three sites in town that appear to be feasible for affordable housing development. These three sites are located on Crest Street, Hill Street, and Pathway Drive.
Attachments A, B, and C are evaluations and descriptions of these sites, along with maps and photographs. Staff will present to the Board the evaluations of these sites.
Relationship of Exploration to Affordable Housing Plan
The exploration of the potential for facilitating affordable housing on town-owned land has been pursued as a method to assist in reaching Goal 1.1 and Goal 2.1 of the Town’s Affordable Housing Plan. Goals 1.1 and 2.1 are to increase the number of permanently affordable homeownership and rental units in Carrboro. This work is also in line with strategy 2.1B, which calls for staff to work with partners to identify and reserve land for future affordable housing development.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends the Board receive the update, provide direction on whether staff should continue to pursue this strategy, and provide feedback on desired methods for moving forward, if the Board wishes to continue pursuing this exploration.