Chatham County summit to focus on affordable housing needs

Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2008

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Siler City, NC - Anyone concerned about Chatham County residents having a decent place to call home that is within their budgets is invited to attend the Affordable Housing Summit on April 11 at the Western Chatham Senior Center in Siler City. The event begins at 9 am and will end at 4 pm, with registration starting at 8:30 am. Registration is free and includes lunch.

The summit is sponsored by the county's Affordable Housing Task Force, and is made possible through grants from NeighborWorks America and an anonymous foundation, said Amy Powell, who chairs the Task Force and also is executive director of Chatham Habitat for Humanity.

A key purpose of the summit is to inspire elected officials, local government agencies, nonprofits, affordable housing advocates, residential builders and developers, realtors and residents of the county to reach agreement on practical, strategic steps to create and maintain adequate affordable housing in Chatham County.

"The members of the Affordable Housing Task Force have been working toward the summit for a long time. We view it as a critical step in developing a Chatham County plan for affordable housing," said Powell.

She added that "the summit will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and a process to begin sorting out complex aspects of affordable housing into a plan of action. It is a unique opportunity to bring the Chatham County community together around this important topic to give it the consideration it deserves."

County Commissioner Tom Vanderbeck, who serves as commissioner liaison to the Affordable Housing Task Force, said that "having adequate affordable housing is a basic infrastructure issue....it speaks volumes about the community caring for its own. I am excited about having a task force that is energized and committed to this issue."

Vanderbeck said that the summit will include information from a recently completed assessment of affordable housing needs in the county. "This needs assessment will lead to a summit of education, new ideas and enrichment, resulting in a plan of action on this critical issue."

Powell said that it is important for elected officials and staff from the incorporated towns and Chatham County government to attend the summit, but that it is also important for any organizations that work with housing and a diverse group of residents to attend as well. "We need input from everyone to make this the best possible plan of action."

The agenda for the summit will begin with a welcome from George Lucier, chair of the Board of County Commissioners, and the presentation of findings from the Affordable Housing Needs Assessment conducted by The Wooten Company.

The summit features a panel that will discuss successful affordable housing programs across the state. The moderator is Chris Estes, executive director of the North Carolina Housing Coalition. Panel members include:

• Dawn Blobaum, assistant town manager for Davidson
• Scott Dedman, executive director of Mountain Housing Opportunities in Asheville
• Joe Durham, deputy county manager for Wake County
• Sally Greene, an attorney and member of the Chapel Hill TownCouncil, who also chairs a special task force focusing on zoning issues related to affordable housing
• Beth McKee-Huger, executive director of the Greensboro Housing Coalition

Robert Burns from NeighborWorks America is a featured speaker who will show a video, "A New Way Home: Sharing Equity to Build Wealth." The afternoon will include small group discussions to identify specific actions to create and preserve a sufficient supply of affordable housing.

Advance registration is encouraged. To register for the summit, visit the county's website to register online through March 28th. The webpage also includes other specifics about the Affordable Housing Summit, including related background information and detailed driving directions.

For more information or to register, contact Amy Powell at 919-542-0794, ext. 212.