ATTACHMENT 4
Habitat for Humanity Orange County
Rusch Hollow
JULY 17, 2003
In its request for approval of a zoning map change, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County voluntarily agrees to include 100% of the housing units in Rusch Hollow as long-term affordable housing. Twelve of the units will be sold to households earning at or below 50% of the area median income. These homes will remain affordable for at least ninety-nine years, through the use of deed restrictions in accordance with the provisions of Orange County’s Affordable Housing Bond Program. These deed restrictions require that the homes be sold over a 99 year period only to households that earn 80% or less than the area median income. The five rental units will also be affordable for households at or below 50% of area median income, and will have similar deed restrictions that will ensure that they remain affordable over a 99 year period, also in accordance with the provisions of Orange County’s Affordable Housing Bond Program.
From Section 4 of the Land Use Management Ordinance
Section 4.4 Intent
“In order to establish and maintain sound, stable, and desirable development within the planning jurisdiction of the Town it is intended that, this chapter shall not be amended except a) to correct a manifest error in the chapter, or b) because of changed or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction generally, or c) to achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan.
It is further intended that, if amended, this chapter be amended only as reasonably necessary to the promotion of the public health safety, or general welfare, and in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.”
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County (HHOC) is requesting approval of a zoning map change applicable to the Rusch Road Subdivision application. The Land Use Plan shows the property as low density residential, 1-4 units per acre. This site is currently zoned R-1, 3 units per acre. We are requesting rezoning to R-SS-C, under which we are proposing a density of less than six units per acre. The zoning change is required to accommodate the density proposed in our Special Use Permit application. The proposed higher density is justified on the basis of the Comprehensive Plan’s housing goal and objectives, and the accompanying strategy to provide incentives to develop affordable housing.
The Goal of the Comprehensive Plan on Housing is to “increase the availability of well-designed, affordable, safe, and sanitary housing for all citizens of Chapel Hill”. The Objectives of this section of the Comprehensive Plan include ‘Housing Availability’, ‘Housing Quality’, and ‘Housing Variety’. This project will clearly further the overall goal as well as the objectives as outline below:
Housing Availability:
“Increase the availability of quality housing affordable to all citizens who live and work in Chapel Hill.”
· This project will add 12 single-family homes and 5 rental units for disabled and/or elderly citizens. All of the units will be affordable for 99 years to households earning at or below 50% of the area median income. All will be built to Habitat’s high standards of quality and energy efficiency
· This project will further extend sanitary sewer in the Rogers Road community and make sewer easily accessible to the portion of the Greene Tract (approximately 18 acres) that has been designated for affordable housing. The extension of the sewer is a key aspect of developing a significant number of affordable homes on the Greene Tract. While no specific plans have been developed for the affordable homes on the Greene Tract, it is reasonable to assume that the homes will provide a range of housing options for the many citizens who live and/or work in Chapel Hill and Orange County, and who need assistance in securing safe, decent, affordable housing.
Housing Quality:
“Require all housing developments to meet applicable local, state and federal standards and guidelines, including design quality, safety, health, and energy efficiency.”
· HHOC will comply with all applicable local, state and federal standards and guidelines in the construction of its homes.
· The twelve single-family that HHOC will construct in the proposed project will exceed NC Housing Finance Agency Energy Criteria. The homes will be included in the Star Home/Systems Vision Program that HHOC currently participates in through the N.C. Community Development Initiative, Inc. and Advance Energy. Under this program, HHOC constructs its homes according to the System Vision requirements for energy efficiency. HHOC construction staff and its HVAC and insulating subcontractors have all attended required trainings on the specifications, standards and techniques required by the Program. Advance Energy staff conducts a final inspection of the homes and provides certification that the homes comply with the Star Home Program/Systems Vision requirements. Once certification is obtained, the heating and cooling costs for the homebuyer are guaranteed at a rate determined by the program.
· HHOC incorporates universal design features in all of its homes, including the option of a step less entryway for all of our homes. We will build fully accessible homes adapted for the particular needs of any household with special needs. HHOC received an award for excellence from the NC Employment Network of the NC Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for our collaborative effort with the Center for Universal Design whom we worked with on a joint project to adopt elements of Universal Design in all our homes.
· A new feature of HHOC homes are overhead sprinkler systems that have been installed free of charge by the Chapel Hill Fire Department as a community service project. This added level of safety in HHOC’s homes is a feature that is rarely offered in much more expensive market rate homes.
· Input from HHOC’s homeowners over the years has resulted in ongoing revisions to house designs to produce low cost homes that nevertheless maximize functionality and minimize maintenance costs. HHOC Board and staff are in the process of researching ways to enhance the appearance of our homes. Changes to the exterior design will include varying rooflines and trim details, as well as improvements in landscaping.
Housing Variety:
“Establish policies, regulations, incentives and programs to promote the availability of a full range of housing types, densities, costs and tenancy options in Chapel Hill, both within new developments and existing neighborhoods.”
· The project will contribute to a mix of housing in the Rogers Road community, which is already a fairly diverse community. The Rogers Road community is comprised of a mix of mobile homes, twelve recently constructed HHOC single-family homes, a number of modest older single-family homes, and a range of more expensive single-family homes that are part of newer subdivisions that have been built off of Rogers Road. Incomes in the community range from very low (below 25%) to upper income, and HHOC homebuyers will be somewhere in the middle, at the 30-50% range. The rental units will serve those in the 25-50% range who do not qualify for homeownership or who do not have the capacity to maintain a home on their own.
· This project will contribute to the revitalization of the Rogers Road community by providing attractive in-fill housing at a slightly higher density than the rest of the community. Care will be given to the siting of the homes on lots and to the exterior appearance of the homes to ensure compatibility with surrounding homes. The project will make use of the R-SS-C zoning district that was created to provide an incentive for the production of affordable homes in Chapel Hill. The special zoning district for affordable housing has only been used once before when Orange Community Housing and Land Trust built a successful development of affordable town homes on Legion Road.
In outlining strategies and actions to increase the supply of affordable housing in Chapel Hill, Section 7A of the Comprehensive Plan States:
“the provision of housing at a cost affordable to all of Chapel Hill’s residents is a major priority for the Town.”
Strategy 7A-1 states that:
“the Town will need to work with public agencies, private enterprises, and non-profit organizations to create housing opportunities for households of all income levels. Private developers, non-profits, and financial institutions all have key roles to play in expanding housing choice. The magnitude of the housing production and rehabilitation challenge facing the community calls for collaboration with other agencies and related organizations that may bring needed development services and/or other resource for this effort. Thus Chapel Hill should continue to encourage the full cooperation and active involvement of these groups to generate and maintain significant volumes of affordable housing.”
This project has already received approval from the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County to receive Community Development Block Grant funds, Chapel Hill Housing Trust Fund monies, HOME funding, and Orange County Affordable Housing Bond funding to help cover the costs of purchasing the land, designing the project, and building the infrastructure. Clearly, the Town is already a partner with Habitat for Humanity in the development of this site for affordable housing. The rezoning of the parcel to allow for higher density will maximize the use of public funds and contribute to the generation of more housing for the hardest to serve households, those with incomes below 50% of the area median.
Strategy 7A-1 also states that:
“affordable housing initiatives should address the need to assist residents of publicly assisted housing in making the permanent housing and self-sufficiency.”
HHOC has actively recruited public housing residents as applicants, and has successfully worked with public housing residents to overcome the barriers to homeownership. HHOC will continue its efforts to move families out of public housing and into homes of their own in this proposed new affordable housing development.
Strategy 7A-2 calls for providing:
“incentives for housing providers to develop affordable housing.”
Strategy 7A-2 further states:
“Funding limitations hinder the Town’s ability to fully meet local affordable housing needs on its own, particularly in the field of new housing productions. As a result, private housing developers are looking at as key partners in addressing this problem. Effective incentives are needed to encourage developers to assist in achieving the Town’s affordable housing goals and objectives, including full integration of affordable housing units into the community. Such incentives should compensate developers who produce, maintain or rehabilitate lower-cost, affordable housing units that meet the Town’s standards.”
One very important element of Strategy 7A-2 mentions:
“Some traditional development standards, such as minimum lot size, may be reduced or eliminated entirely when dealing with single-family home development under the R-SS-C Zoning District. In addition, the use of innovative techniques should be explored and encouraged, not only because such techniques can generate significantly lower-cost housing that is affordable to moderate and low income families, but also because of the environmental benefits resulting from smaller development “footprints” and overall reductions in impervious surface. Techniques such as clustering, zero lot line development, small single-family or “cottage” housing, and modular construction could permitted in an as-of-right process when involving affordable housing development, thus expediting processing and curb time/cost and making these options more attractive to developers.”