Affordable housing advocates fight setbacks
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CHARLOTTE -- Affordable housing advocates continue to identify new places to develop communities, despite a recent rash of setbacks.
On Monday, a Charlotte City Council vote scrapped the Charlotte Housing Partnership's plans to build low and affordable housing units in the Arysley neighborhood. The Partnership was asking Council members to waive a policy that bans two affordable housing communities being built too close to each other.
This is the third time in recent months plans for affordable housing have been stopped.
First, it was the Partnership's Berewick community, then the Housing Authority pulled out of development plans in Ballantyne and then the Ayrsley proposal.
The reasons for the opposition have varied in each instance, but each time many neighbors have expressed strong opposition to the plans.
"Mixed income housing provides an opportunity for people of all different income levels to live, work and play in their neighborhood," said Jennifer Gallman with the Charlotte Housing Authority.
Local leaders say the local outcry will not stop their quest to provide affordable housing in various Charlotte communities.
"When you look at the children alone, there's over 3,500 CMS school aged children who do not have a roof over their head," said Gallman. "It's hard to do homework without a home."
The Housing Authority highlights the success of its mixed income development in First Ward as an example of how developments can work. Apartments are available on a sliding scale, where some pay the market price, while others are subsidized based on income.
"It's solid quality housing," said Gallman. "No unit is different from each other."
The Housing Authority agrees that success of future plans will require the community to embrace its message: low income and affordable housing benefits the entire community.