Housing Charlotte 2007 Proceedings Report

Description:

Housing Charlotte 2007 was a one-day event held on February 22, 2007 at the Charlotte Convention Center to address the future of affordable housing. The event, which was hosted by the Charlotte City Council and organized by the Housing Charlotte 2007 Planning Committee, was designed to bring together a cross-section of housing experts and community leaders to identify solutions to address affordable housing. Over 400 people attended the event to hear about national, regional and local housing trends, local progress made in developing affordable housing, strategies and ideas used for affordable housing in other communities, and engage in dialogue about potential solutions for Charlotte. Charlotte has an affordable housing problem. Many residents in this community find it difficult to find a safe and decent place that they can afford on their income. One measure of the problem is that there are more than 17,000 housing units needed by 2010 to serve those in Charlotte who earn the lowest incomes. Affordable housing is a problem that touches every one of us on a daily basis. When we purchase an item in the store, require assistance by a medical technician in our doctor’s office or pick up our children from daycare, we may come face to face with a Charlottean who is having difficulty finding a safe, decent and affordable place to live. Having enough affordable housing is essential to keeping the local economic engine running. The subject of affordable housing is multi-faceted and complex, ranging from homelessness to helping families purchase their first home. Because of the broad expanse of affordable housing, the Housing Charlotte 2007 Affordable Housing Forum chose to focus on three topical areas - financing, regulatory barriers and the community. The key questions posed to presenters and participants at the forum were: • How does the community pay for affordable housing, especially rental housing? • What are some regulatory barriers that must be addressed to develop affordable housing? • How can we better engage the community to accept affordable housing?