Is housing actually affordable in the Cape Fear? Area leaders discuss topic

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Affordable housing in the Cape Fear is a topic that brought dozens of community leaders and elected officials together Thursday morning in Downtown Wilmington.

The Cape Fear Housing Coalition holds an annual legislative breakfast to update the community on affordable housing in the area.

They had guest speakers to share statistics and tips from other areas on how to handle our problem.

Coalition Chair Paul D’Angelo says Wilmington is a destination and a place where people want to live. However, that can create issues when it comes to affordable living.

“Naturally that is going to drive up costs,” D’Angelo said. “That’s going to drive up housing costs, but when you have a tourism economy and perhaps an economy where a lot of people are retiring, it creates service sector jobs. Those don’t pay great. They pay $8 an hour, $10 an hour, $12 an hour, so until we can see those wages rise, we are going to have an affordable housing issue here in Wilmington.”

D’Angelo says the Cape Fear Housing Coalition is partnering with UNCW in March for the Poverty Conference where they will be talking about wages and housing.