Last year, the county launched an affordable housing program to spend at least $15 million over five years — in this, the second year, staff received seven proposals totaling $6.6 million.
Three failed to gain staff support due to the lack of details provided.
A $673,900 request from Cape Fear Collective — a data-driven non-profit that has more recently moved into the affordable housing space — would have helped with electrical repairs for 75 units around Wilmington and income verification for 59 of those properties. Staff voiced concern about the unknown period of affordability the grant would support.
LMN Advisors asked for $1.5 million in construction financing on 150-200 units — but the proposal lacked project details and proposed building sites.
The Wilmington Realtors Foundation requested $1.5 million in water and sewer infrastructure for a project in the Monkey Junction area of southern New Hanover County. Staff scored the project favorably, but noted it was not close enough to being shovel-ready — one of the selection criteria.
Commissioners Dane Scalise and LeAnn Pierce said they hoped to see the county reconsider the Wilmington Realtors Foundation project in the future, and staff said this was their plan for the next funding cycle. Scalise said "a lot of great folks" were attached to the project; Pierce noted the value of delivering utilities to the rapidly developing area.
“I do think it’s an advantage to New Hanover County to extend that infrastructure through there. We know that’s going to be a developing corridor," she said.
The four approved projects, totaling $2.9 million for 274 households, were submitted by Habitat for Humanity, WARM, New Beginning Christian Church, and Blue Ridge Atlantic Development.
Here are the project descriptions:
Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity will receive $1,000,000 for water and sewer infrastructure at Haven Place, which is a Habitat development in Castle Hayne that will consist of 35 new single-family units for families earning 80 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI).
New Beginning Christian Church has been allocated $500,000 to expand their New Beginning Rental Assistance Program, providing financial assistance and wrap-around services to 127 families over the course of one year.
WARM NC will receive $872,000 to repair 40 units over the next two years, focusing on essential needs like flooring, plumbing, and ADA accessibility that will keep residents safely and affordably in their homes.
Blue Ridge Atlantic Development will be granted $600,000 for the Residence at Canopy Pointe, a 72-unit affordable senior housing development. The grant will replace contingency funds, ensure compliance with low-income housing tax credits, and support facility improvements.
Commissioner Jonathan Barfield expressed some annoyance at the financial request from Blue Ridge, which was set for approval by the county before the developers chose a different path. The developers requested and received voluntary annexation into the City of Wilmington last summer — and shortly after received $1.85 million in gap financing from the city, which had budgeted $3.5 million for that year.
Barfield said the developers had effectively wasted county staff and officials' time by going through the county process only to change tack, and while he did vote for the project, he said he thought they should ask the city for the money instead.
“My feelings truly are that they should go to the city for these resources and not the county," he said.
Monday's vote will provide support for 274 affordable units. But, according to a presentation from staff, there is still a serious — and widening — gap between supply and demand for affordable housing. Even in the lowest income ranges based on the Average Median Income alone — under 30% and between 30% and 50% — the county is still short thousands of units.
