Wilmington City Council voting on property donation for affordable housing units
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to donate three properties on the Northside of Wilmington to Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity to be used as affordable housing units.
The three properties are located at 610 N. 8th St., 701 Red Cross St., and 708 Swann St. and were declared as surplus property in 2016.
“For more than a decade we have sought opportunities to increase housing stock, help make the dream of homeownership a reality, and adjusted our land development code to incentivize more affordable housing,” Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said. “Despite the city’s progress, we still have a great need in Wilmington as our community grows. Partnering with Habitat will help us continue to close the gap between what we have and what we need.”
Donating these properties would result in an investment of $84,200, bringing the city’s total investment in affordable housing over the last two-decades in excess of $52 million.
“The contribution of surplus property by the City of Wilmington provides critical resources to Cape Fear Habitat in addressing the affordable housing crisis here in our community,” Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity Executive Director, Lauren McKenzie, said. “We are able to transform properties the city donates into stable, affordable homes that are purchased by cost-burdened residents who are paying 30 percent or more of their income for housing. This partnership with the city allows families to achieve the stability and long-term benefits of homeownership, while contributing to the tax base which supports the health and vibrancy of the entire community.”
This would mark the fourth land donation by the city in the last two months for the purpose of building affordable housing.
