By Steve Harrison
sharrison@charlotteobserver.com

The city of Charlotte is considering a change in the rules that govern where subsidized housing can be built.

The proposed changes are tweaks but are likely the first step to a greater effort towards dispersing low-income housing throughout the city. The existing policy, which has been in place since 2001, puts the city into three classifications: prohibited for new assisted housing, permissible and a priority for new subsidized housing.

Much of east and west Charlotte is prohibited because there is already government-subsidized housing in the area, as well as high poverty. Most of southeast Charlotte is considered a priority because little or no low-income housing exists.

The city has been meeting with residents to get feedback, and the proposed changes must be approved by the Charlotte City Council. The final public meeting is tonight (Monday) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St.

Earlier this year, the Charlotte Housing Authority attempted to build low-income apartments at Providence Road West and Johnston Road, and hundreds of Ballantyne-area residents protested. The proposal was eventually pulled by the developers.

Pat Mumford, who heads the city's Neighborhood and Business Services, has said the city needs a better way to build affordable housing, and said it's counterproductive to have such intense fights each time a new subsidized housing development is proposed.

Q. How does the proposed policy differ from today's policy?

The city currently says an area is "prohibited" from getting new government-assisted housing if there is other subsidized housing nearby.

Also, to have more subsidized housing, an area's home ownership rate can't be less than 50 percent, and the total amount of subsidized housing can't exceed 10 percent of all housing units.

The new policy takes a different approaching in determining a neighborhood's suitability for public housing. It would use the city's Quality of Life study to determine if an area is "stable," "transitioning" or "challenged." The study examines 20 factors in four categories: social, crime, physical and economic.

Stable neighborhoods could accept new subsidized housing. Areas that are transitioning or challenged could only accept renovated apartment complexes that were converted from market-rate to subsidized.

The city doesn't expect any significant changes in areas that are considered "challenged" and areas that are currently "prohibited" for new affordable housing.

Perhaps the most significant change is that there would be an exemption for conversions of existing property.

If there is a market-rate apartment complex, and a new owner wants to convert it to subsidized housing, the project would be allowed - even if the area were surrounded by other low-income units.

"The thought process is that if there is a dilapidated apartment complex, it's a detriment," Mumford said. "If it gets renovated, it's physically better for the community."

In the current policy, only new subsidized multifamily complexes must have on-site management.

The proposal would extend that requirement to renovated affordable-housing complexes.

If a complex has at least 50 units, they would need someone on-site 20 hours a week. A complex with at least 75 units would need someone on-site between 30 and 40 hours a week. And a complex with at least 100 units would need an employee living on-site or employees at the complex for 80 hours a week.

Q. If an area is prohibited for assisted housing, is that final?

No. The City Council could approve waivers, which it has done seven times since 2001. The most recent waiver came last year, when the Housing Authority got the go-ahead to redevelop the Savanna Woods Apartments in Sedgefield.

Earlier this year, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership asked for a waiver to build 90 low-income housing units at Ayrsley, where there already was an affordable-housing project - Summerfield - nearby. The City Council rejected that request after intense public opposition.

But in other cases, neighborhood opposition hasn't been as intense, and waivers were granted. Under the new policy, waivers could still be given for areas deemed "transitioning" or "challenged."

Q. Do these rules give developers incentive to build low-income housing?

No. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx has said he would like the city to offer developers incentives for including affordable housing in projects.

Such incentives could include allowing developers to build more units or speeding up the permitting process.

These proposals only spell out where government-assisted housing could go.

Q. Would these new rules have changed the Ballantyne controversy over affordable housing?

No. The area where the Housing Authority proposed building low-income apartments is considered a "priority" for public housing, and would be considered a "stable" area under the new proposal.

But the site requires a zoning change for apartments, and that wouldn't change under the proposals.

And it's likely there would be future fights over subsidized housing. South of Interstate 485, there are only three tracts of vacant land zoned for apartments, according to the city.

Building low-income apartments on another site would require a public hearing for a zoning change - and possibly another battle.
 

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