Housing GSO: HRA Greensboro Affordable Housing Plan

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY

NOTES | Community Engagement Meetings

May 29, 2019 Brokers and Lenders Focus Group

Attendees: 13 brokers and lenders (attendance was not taken at this meeting)

Existing Challenges

• Regional economy problem, supply problem, problems of fear in the zoning process • Cost burden rate: back of the napkin calculation for getting up to full economic potential – still be 15-18% HCB • Community reluctance to accept anything different – can’t get things approved that are higher density or look different

Drivers Of the Housing Gap

Prices are going up because supply isn’t increasing o

•

Annual rise of 4%, and incomes aren’t close to keeping up

• Difficult to build affordable housing in the market to meet needs of people who are getting low-level, entry level jobs • Aging housing not being rehabbed, losing ground • 15-20% drop in median income – ’ 07 major drop, haven’t recovered • Rents have gone up but to a place where it supports a lot of new development • No movement or change from Housing Our Community process • Out of land – not much inside the city that hasn’t been built on • Water and sewer service boundaries need to be expanded • Policies and procedures are built around low-density development, making infill development is onerous and difficult o Cost with older infrastructure o “Town that ran off trader joes” o “Greensboro’s gotta get out of comfort zone, gotta get busy, or going to die” • Need more land supply to be able to build affordable housing • Separate problem of lack of public transportation – sprawl, a lot of commuting but don’t have the infrastructure for people to get around • Major challenge (such as entitlement reform) will be commitment from political will to implement • Very smart and competent staff, communication barrier, if council would listen would be in good shape • Area around 421 south of 85 needs to become Tier 1 • A lot of opportunity for ADUs, but right now you can’t get a pocket neighborhood ordinance approved o Ordinance is too restrictive, get about 10 a year under current ordinance, should be getting 50-100 a year o Out of date, have to have a big lot to get it approved — will the elected body approve it? • Comprehensive approach is needed

HR&A Advisors, Inc.

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