From: Robert Dowling
Sent: Fri 9/5/2008 5:39 PM
To: Bill Strom; 'Bill Thorpe'; Ed Harrison; Jim Ward; 'Laurin Easthom';
'Mark Kleinschmidt'; Matt Czajkowski; Kevin Foy; Sally Greene
Cc: Roger Stancil
Subject: Affordable housing
petition
Mayor Foy and members of Council,
I would like to petition the Mayor and Council to consider a change in you affordable housing policy. Rather than require developers to provide 15% of their housing units as affordable, I would ask that the Council consider accepting a portion of the affordable requirement as a payment-in-lieu.
As the Council is aware, more than 150 units of housing that have been approved to be in the Land Trust including almost 100 condominium units. Given the funding that will be required to ensure a successful affordable housing program, I would ask that the Council consider accepting payments-in-lieu rather than continue to request 15% for affordable housing. I firmly believe that by accepting some payments-in-lieu of units, the Council will lay the foundation for a stronger affordable housing program – one that will ensure the long-term affordability and the long-term maintenance of our affordable housing stock.
Specifically, I would ask that the Council consider the following changes for developments that are coming before the Council in the very near future:
Woodmont –rather than accept the required 9 condominiums, ask the developer for 5 condominiums and a payment-in-lieu for four units.
Residences at Grove – rather than accept 39 condominiums, ask for 26 condominiums and a payment-in-lieu for 13 units.
East 54 – as permitted by the original SUP, allow the developer to make a payment-in-lieu for the number of units that exceed 20% of the total residential units. Originally the developer agreed to provide 30% affordable units.
As the Council is aware, I believe we have a model program here in Chapel Hill. My objective is to strengthen our program to ensure its success far into the future.
Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.
Robert Dowling
Executive Director
Orange Community Housing and Land Trust
104 Jones Ferry Road Suite C
Carrboro, NC 27510
919-967-1545 ext. 307