City Council members try to tackle Charlotte's affordable housing crisis

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte city leaders want to try some bold ideas to tackle the affordable housing crisis.

Thousands of families in the city are unable to afford rent and their options for apartments and homes are dwindling.

Experts said it's an issue not unique to Charlotte.

"Most major cities have a housing crisis and most major cities have an affordable housing crisis,” Mark Ethridge, with LCRE Partners, said.

City officials discussed ideas to make sure families can afford places to live, which includes keeping older homes and apartments that are cheaper to rent rather than let developers replace them with new ones.

That is a good strategy in Councilman Ed Driggs' opinion.

“A bunch of them have a long existing life, especially if they have been refurbished,” Driggs said.

The (issue, the challenge) becomes keeping those older properties safe.

The city has a pot of money called the housing trust fund.

One option is to dedicate 15 percent of it to those older properties, while another option is giving a property tax break for affordable housing.

That option is the most challenging and would require approval from the General Assembly, which is something Driggs thinks he can help get.

“We'll take this to them and find out where the opportunities are and be sure to take proposals to them that are amicable,” Driggs said.

City officials also want to support tax credits and potentially create a new fund to quickly obtain land.

Councilwoman Lawana Mayfield wants all leaders on the same page.

“We have to be able to direct the community on what it is we are trying to achieve,” Mayfield said. “To help as many people as we can.”

The mayor wants to put $50 million on the housing bond this election, but that amount might require a tax increase.

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