HHH Supports More Affordable Housing Bonds

Above: Member Rollon Washington is interviewed by the media after the Council meeting

Last night, six members of HHH and an additional 20 community members attended the City Council Meeting in support of more affordable housing bonds. The Housing Trust Fund advisory board suggested the City Council put $30 million of affordable housing bonds on November ballots and suggested setting aside $7.5 million for housing for the homeless community. This is great news, as 2/3rds of those who need housing can afford to pay less than $300 each month. Currently, the City Manager has suggested only $10 million in his current budget. HHH looks forward to advocating for the City Council to increase that $10 million to $30 million!

From today's Observer:

Funding sought for affordable housing
Council is asked for 3 times the amount the city manager advises
JULIA OLIVER
joliver@charlotteobserver.com
The Charlotte Housing Trust Fund asked City Council on Monday for a $30 million bond issue to provide needed low-income housing in the city.
That's three times what the city manager has recommended.
"The question is, would you want more taxes to meet this request?" Mayor Pat McCrory asked the council.
But Trust Fund leaders and advocates for the poor pointed to a study that says the city will be short 17,000 affordable housing units in the next four years. More than a third of that is needed for people making less than $8,000 a year.
Those people are also the most expensive to serve.
"We really need the city to be the catalyst," said Liz Clasen, associate director of the Urban Ministry Center, who was at the meeting with several homeless men and others supporting the Trust Fund's request.
Trust Fund board members said more public money would allow the agency to help more of the city's poorest residents. Some can afford less than $300 rent a month, said the board vice chairman Tylee Kessler. She also pointed out that the foreclosure crisis will only make the need greater.
Much of the debate among City Council members Monday was about where to put affordable housing. Several council members have complained that low-income housing is concentrated in certain districts.
"Everyone's for affordable housing unless it's next door to them," McCrory said.
At one point, Councilman Michael Barnes snapped at the mayor.
"We do not want or need any more cheap starter-home communities or cheap apartments in northeast Charlotte," he said, adding: "Under your leadership, it's only gotten worse."
Though the Housing Trust Fund does have a policy prohibiting new units in certain areas, Councilman Anthony Foxx pointed out that it also has limited control over where the housing goes. The Trust Fund loans or grants money to private developers, who build the low-income housing.
Whatever amount the City Council settles on during budget discussions in coming weeks must then go before voters for approval in November.