Town Council Approves Affordable Housing Development Project at 2200 Homestead Road

The Chapel Hill Town Council has approved an affordable housing development on Town-owned land at 2200 Homestead Road. The project will include about 120 affordable homes, with a combination of apartments, townhomes and duplexes that serve a range of household incomes from less than $18,000 to a little over $100,000. The site plan also includes a variety of community amenities, including a multi-use greenway path, walking trails, a basketball court, and a community garden.

The Homestead Project is the latest example of the Town’s strategy to use Town land to support the development of affordable housing in Chapel Hill, where 58% of renters and 23% of homeowners are cost-burdened, or spend more than 30% of their income on housing expenses.  The Homestead Project, and other similar development projects planned and under way, will help the Town address the community’s great need for affordable housing with a goal of adding 400 units of affordable housing in five years.  “We are very excited about 2200 Homestead,” said Mayor Pam Hemminger. “Chapel Hill values being an inclusive community and, by providing land and working with our partners, we are creating a welcoming community and a special place for people to call home.” 

Since 2017, the Town has worked closely with its design and engineering team, comprised of MHAworks and CJT, PA to develop and refine a site plan that will create an inclusive, mixed-income community offering a variety of housing types that serve a variety of housing needs. The Town has also worked closely with its prospective development team, the Homestead Housing Collaborative, a unique collaboration of local affordable housing developers.  The Collaborative partners will achieve the project’s vision by each bringing their development expertise to the project:

• Self-Help Ventures Fund, as master developer and site developer

• CASA, as developer of rental apartment units

• Community Home Trust, as developer of for-sale townhomes

• Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, as developer of for-sale duplexes

The Homestead Project will be financed by a variety of public and private funding sources, including awards from the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County affordable housing bonds.  With Council approval for the rezoning of the site in hand, the development team will apply for the permits needed to begin construction, with a goal of breaking ground in early 2022.  

Jay Street Project Update

Jay Street Concept Plan

A concept plan for an affordable housing development has been submitted for the Town-owned land at 110 Jay Street. The Town’s potential development partners, Taft-Mills Group and the Community Home Trust, submitted the concept plan application in March 2021 and the preliminary concept includes about 50 affordable apartments in two, 3-story garden style buildings, with a community center and pedestrian facilities. 

You can learn more about the project and provide input on the plan…

• The project website provides background info, FAQs, project updates, and invites readers to submit comments and feedback.

• The team hosted a virtual community meeting on Thursday, April 22 at 6pm.

• The Community Design Commission (May 10th at 3pm) and the Housing Advisory Board (May 11 at 6:30pm) have provided feedback on the development idea. Recordings of these meetings are available here.

• Town Council provided feedback on the project at the Council meeting on May 19.

Town Council Approves Nearly $1 Million for Community Development Programs

On January 27, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved an updated 2020-2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program plan allocating almost $1 million of funding to support relief efforts for Chapel Hill residents struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other community development needs.  Highlights of the plan include funding for:

1. 14 Neighborhood Support Circles (NSC) for the spring semester through a collaboration with Refugee Community Partnership, providing neighborhood-based remote learning support and childcare for low-income school age children, allowing parents to return to work and helping the children succeed in school. 

2. Remote learning scholarships for students to attend scholastic support programs to have a safe, structured place for virtual learning, guided by education specialists.

3. Two Community Health Workers, or Promotoras, for El Centro Hispano Inc.’s Latino Outreach Program to provide outreach and education to the Latinx community about COVID-19 and vaccination efforts, arrange delivery of supplies like masks, food and diapers, and help access available resources through translation and referrals.

4. Continued operation of the Town’s weekly Food Bank.  

5. Increased funding for the Emergency Housing Assistance program administered by Orange County that provides temporary rent and utility assistance.

Funding in the plan that was already allocated to programs for home repairs, homebuyer assistance, homeless case management, and parenting classes remain unchanged.

Town Affordable Housing Partnership with DHIC Wins State’s Highest Award

North Carolina’s top honor for excellence in affordable housing was recently awarded to The Greenfield Community in Chapel Hill.  Created as a unique public-private partnership between DHIC and the Town of Chapel Hill, the Greenfield Community was financed with Town funding, federal low-income housing tax credits awarded by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, Orange County funding, and land donated by the Town.

Developed by DHIC, Greenfield Place and Greenfield Commons, which together make up the Greenfield Community, provide 149 apartment homes for seniors and working families. Floor plans are offered in one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans with rents ranging from $290 to $890 per month. This community serves households with incomes at or below 60% of the area median income, and renters can save more than 40% compared to market rate apartments in the area.

To watch the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency award ceremony, visit youtube.com/watch?v=mU9QFrEVQKM.

Town Releases its Annual Affordable Housing Report

The Town of Chapel Hill’s Office for Housing and Community recently released its Affordable Housing Annual Report. You can check out the report to learn more about the Town’s efforts to address affordable housing needs. It also highlights key projects from the year, like the launch of the Emergency Housing Assistance program to assist households disrupted by Covid-19. You can also see the Annual Report Presentation to Town Council for more information on the progress that was made in fiscal year 2019-2020.

The Annual Report is a tool to monitor the Town's progress towards meeting our affordable housing preservation and development targets, share the status of projects funded with Town resources, and summarize key community indicators related to housing in Orange County. If you have any questions about the report or the Town’s affordable housing efforts, contact Nate Broman-Fulks, Affordable Housing Manager, at nbfulks@townofchapelhill.org.

Now Accepting Applications to Create Affordable Housing Opportunities

The Town of Chapel Hill is accepting applications to create affordable housing opportunities in the community through noon Friday, October 2nd, 2020.

Awards will be made from the Town’s Affordable Housing Development Reserve (AHDR), established by the Town Council in March 2015. Since its creation, the Town has supported the development of 296 units of affordable housing with funding from the AHDR. The total funding available this fiscal year in the Affordable Housing Development Reserve is $688,395.

The Town of Chapel Hill will accept applications for the following priority project areas:

• Land bank and land acquisition

• Rental subsidy and development

• Homeownership development and assistance

• Future development planning

The Town’s Housing Advisory Board will evaluate applications and present a funding recommendation to the Town Council for final approval in October 2020. There will be up to two additional funding cycles this fiscal year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021).

The application deadline is 12:00 pm Friday. To access the application and learn more, visit https://bit.ly/32zt4oy.

Town Approves $5.25 Million Affordable Housing Funding Plan to Add 278 Affordable Homes

The Chapel Hill Town Council has approved $5.25 million in funding to support the development of 278 new affordable homes in Chapel Hill.

The Chapel Hill Town Council has identified affordable housing as one of its strategic goals and is implementing a comprehensive plan to preserve and increase the availability of affordable housing. The approval of the $5.25 million funding plan is a major step in the Town’s efforts to reach its affordable housing goals.

The Town Council approved funding awards from the Town’s Affordable Housing Bond and Affordable Housing Development Reserve.  In November 2018, Chapel Hill voters approved a $10 million Affordable Housing Bond Referendum. This approval is to use the first $5 million of those funds.  Another round of Bond funding is anticipated within the next two years.

“The Town and our community partners are working hard to provide more affordable housing that meets many, diverse needs, “said Mayor Pam Hemminger.  “We are thankful for the communities’ support of the Affordable Housing Bond and the dedicated annual affordable housing monies and are excited to be using those funds to move forward on creating 278 new homes in Chapel Hill.”

The approved funding plan will support five new affordable housing development projects that anticipate adding 278 new affordable homes in Chapel Hill.  These projects will provide homeownership and rental opportunities for households with a range of incomes, including extremely low-income households.

Approved Funding Plan: 

Find out more about the Town of Chapel Hill’s affordable housing efforts at  https://www.chapelhillaffordablehousing.org/

Chapel Hill Increases Housing Assistance for Residents in Urgent Need

Residents in urgent need of rent relief may be eligible for a one-time payment of up to $2,000, following action taken by the Chapel Hill Town Council on Wednesday, May 6.

Amid the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council allocated $135,000 to assist residents struggling with unpaid rent. This vote comes on the heels of the Town recently updating its Rental and Utility Assistance Program to better serve more people facing emergency housing needs. The program provides financial assistance to secure affordable rental housing or prevent impending eviction for low income residents. 

Rental Assistance

The Town is partnering with local nonprofit agencies, Orange County, the Towns of Carrboro and Hillsborough, and the Orange County Housing Helpline to work with residents who need rental assistance.  Households, and agencies on behalf of eligible households, can apply for a one-time payment of up to $2,000 to assist with rental payments, including:

• Security deposits, utility connections and arrears

• Rental payments and arrears

• Other urgent housing-related costs in emergency situations

Rental Assistance Applications are available for residents or referring agencies.  Applications may be sent to HousingHelp@orangecountync.gov. 

Residents who may be eligible to receive rental assistance would need to be low-income, demonstrate an urgent need, and show that they do not have adequate savings to cover their current housing costs.  For more information on eligibility criteria visit the Town’s Rental and Utility Assistance Webpage.

If you or someone you know needs support securing affordable housing or emergency rental assistance, please call the Housing Helpline at 919-245-2655.

Homeownership Assistance

A portion of the funds allocated by Council action on May 6 may be used for homeownership assistance to support in the prevention of foreclosure for low to moderate income residents.  The Town is currently finalizing the details of this program.  For more information, contact Nate Broman-Fulks, Affordable Housing Manager, at nbfulks@townofchapelhill.org. 

More information about Housing Assistance for Residents in urgent need can be found at https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/departments-services/housing-and-community/funding/rental-and-utility-assistance-program

Town Accepting Applications: $1.75 million Available to Create Affordable Housing Opportunities

The Town of Chapel Hill is accepting applications to create affordable housing opportunities in the community through noon Friday, May 1, 2020.

Awards will be made from the Town’s Affordable Housing Bond and Affordable Housing Development Reserve (AHDR).  In November 2018, Chapel Hill voters expressed their overwhelming approval of an Affordable Housing Bond Referendum. $1.5 million of the Bond funds is planned to be made available to outside agencies for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Chapel Hill.  Eligible uses of the Bond funds are:

• Acquisition

• Home Repairs

• New Construction

Outside agencies may also apply to the AHDR.  There is currently $250,000 available for this application period.  Since its creation, the Town has supported the development of 294 units of affordable housing with funding from the AHDR. The total funding available this fiscal year in the Affordable Housing Development Reserve was $688,395.  Eligible uses of AHDR funds are:

• Land bank and land acquisition

• Rental subsidy and development

• Homeownership development and assistance

• Future development planning

The Town’s Housing Advisory Board will evaluate applications and their recommended funding plan will be presented to the Town Council for final approval in May 2020.  This is subject to change, based on the impact of COVID-19.  To access the funding application and learn more, visit https://bit.ly/2vDWWne.

This is the first round of Bond funds being made available.  Another round of Bond funding is anticipated within the next two years.

Your Input Requested on Local Housing and Community Development Needs

The Town of Chapel Hill is seeking input on local housing and community development needs of Chapel Hill and Orange County to help shape future plans.

These plans -- the Orange County Five-Year Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and Assessment of Fair Housing -- inform how funding is allocated from the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to support community development and affordable housing initiatives.  Take the survey or learn more at http://orangecountync.gov/2337/HOME-Consolidated-Plan.

There will be a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St., Chapel Hill, NC  27516, and a virtual meeting to solicit input from residents, community organizations, and local interest groups.  For additional information on these meetings, visit https://orangecountync.gov/2337/HOME-Consolidated-Plan.

Consolidated Plan Questionnaire

The Consolidated Plan Questionnaire is an important method for understanding the needs of our community residents and gathering their input on how to allocate these funds. As a bonus, one respondent will win a $100 Amazon gift card.

Consolidated Plan Questionnaire (English)

Cuestionario del Plan Consolidado (Español)

Draft Goals & Next Steps

Input into community needs and priorities will be gathered from the questionnaire and public input meetings through Feb. 26. This input, along with relevant data, will be used to develop the Consolidated Plan draft goals. Goals will be updated as more information is received and will be available for review and comment in mid-March.

For more information, contact Erika Brandt at ebrandt@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-4331.