This report is for Asheville’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) meetings in July and August. Some developments, projects, financing, and zoning issues are covered. The Committee tries to check the boxes for equity rather than sound economics.
Their effort resembles trying to make 2 sticks plus 2 sticks equal 5 sticks – it will always take a lot of work, regulations, and training to get everyone (the city) to accept these special goals and rules. A long-range downside is that you create a population’s expectation that reason and economics will eventually be put aside because a government will try to make 2+2=5, or 6, or whatever the lens needed to satisfy a shifting sense of equity and emotions.
AHAC – July 2022
Vice-chair Margie Rhinehardt-Bukowski chaired the zoom meeting. Sasha Vrtunski works for the city as an Affordable Housing Officer. Antanette Mosley is the city council liaison. Rachel Wood, Assistant City Manager, also attended.
Discussions:
- How city council, AHAC and HDCC (Housing Development Community Committee) can work together better
- HUD Funds are not available for repairing mobile homes unless the hitch and axles are removed, and the home is fixed to a permanent foundation.
- The Community and Economic Development website features a local homeownership calculator for the public; it is updated monthly.
AHAC – August 2022
Barry Bialik chaired the zoom meeting. Sasha Vrtunski works for the city as an Affordable Housing Officer. Antanette Mosley is the city council liaison. Rachel Wood, Assistant City Manager, also attended.
Reports:
- 3 months = a healthy MLS inventory. Buncombe’s inventory is 1.7 months. That’s a housing shortage.
- Interest rate rising. There are grants for buying down rates or helping with down payments
- Approx 40 people per month access the Affordable Housing interest calculator (could be 8 people going 5x/month)
- Per the city’s 2019 vision, the council directs where committees should focus. So if AHAC made recommendations that were outside the city’s vision, there was a disconnect, no follow through. The council has changed: AHAC now feels the opportunity exists to report directly to the council, with more alignment.
- $85,000 was given to AHAC to research “missing middle housing” – duplexes, and small apartment complexes. Timestamp (00:50:53)
- Asheville’s problem is that minimum land is available. 2/3 of residential property is single-family. Maybe we should be looking at multi-family units, and possible zoning changes.
- Mountain Housing Project (MHP) presented a project to buy 1.3 acres at Restaurant Court, off Tunnel Road. 50-60 affordable housing units 100% at (60%) AMI. MHP needs $850,000 for land purchase by mid-October. (Timestamp 1:08:50)
- Hilliard Ave: Two projects – One opposite Aston tennis center 230 units, 20% (46 units) affordable housing; this project has not gone forward. Second is the Micro Units where the Hot Spot used to be. Ext 80 units, 20% (16) at 80% AMI, 12 units/floor; each floor share a common full-size kitchen; individual units have a mini fridge, micro, toaster kitchen area and private baths.
The next Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meeting will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2022, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the 1st floor North Conference Room of City Hall, 70 Court Plaza.
-end
I wish we could get some other folks to look at this committee’s recorded meetings. Do the committee members clearly understand their objectives, and do they appear to be capable of helping to achieve those goals? What precisely are those goals? Do those goals align with your values and beliefs?