Since 2016, New Hanover County and the City of Wilmington have supported joint committees, several studies, and surveys of public opinion. Last year, that boiled down to one thing: an ambitious housing bond on the ballot.
But the political winds shifted quickly, and a majority of county commissioners — who would need to approve a bond measure before the general public could vote on it — now say they don't want to raise taxes to pay for a bond, especially since the county has a massive $350 million reserve (which requires at least four out of five commissioners to tap into).
This week, co-hosts Kelly Kenoyer and Ben Schachtman break down how we got here and what stakeholders are saying now — including those in the non-profit sector, for-profit developers, and those on the county commission, in whose hands the choice ultimately rests.