Chatham County housing staff outline supply-side strategies, preservation steps and partnerships to expand affordability

Chatham County housing officials on July 21 told commissioners they are pursuing multiple supply-side strategies — new affordable rental and ownership units, home repairs, development incentives and intergovernmental coordination — to address rising housing costs and commuting-driven workforce displacement.

Jason Smith, Chatham County housing director, said the county created a formal housing department just over a year ago and will present a three-part briefing series. "It's been a little over a full year since Chatham County created its own housing department," he said, and outlined plans to return with monthly program and strategic-plan updates.

Why it matters: County leaders said housing is tightly linked to transportation, workforce stability and public health; the department presented concrete examples of projects, funding layers and policy tools the county is using to preserve and build affordable units.

What staff described - Development and inclusion: Smith highlighted a recently completed project (Sadler City ribbon cutting referenced by staff) that produced 84 income-qualified units targeted to low-income households. He described an ongoing contract for workforce ownership opportunities in a higher-priced townhome neighborhood that uses layered funding and fee waivers to reduce purchase price. - Preservation and repair: Jamie Andrews, the county’s housing officer, said between 2022 and 2024 roughly 90 homes received repair work targeting deferred maintenance among older residents, veterans and people with disabilities. Andrews said about $200,000 of county Housing Trust Fund support yielded approximately $1.5 million in external funds — roughly $7 for every $1 of county contribution. - Funding and leverage: Andrews described the use of multiple grant sources (examples cited: Duke Energy Foundation, USDA, state housing finance programs) and partnerships with nonprofits and developers to stretch county dollars. - Labor-market and migration context: Andrews and Smith presented county migration and commuting data showing many Chatham residents commute to Wake, Durham and Orange counties; newcomers from other states tended to have higher incomes, increasing local housing demand and land price pressure. - Constraints: Staff cited high land and infrastructure costs for dispersed single-family development (sewer, wells), limited municipal water/sewer outside towns, and rising construction costs as barriers that make inclusionary strategies and public–private funding layers necessary. - Policy and tools: The department said it is using partnership incentives, participation with municipal officials (Siler City, Pittsboro), targeted procurement processes for the Housing Trust Fund and UDO tools (Unified Development Ordinance) that can reduce parking requirements when affordable units are included. Staff said accessory dwelling units and reduced parking are among tactics to expand options.

Commissioner questions and staff responses Commissioners asked about area median income (AMI), the affordability bands targeted (30–60% AMI for low income; 60–80% for moderate), unit types (multifamily preferred for many federal funds but single-family and mom-and-pop rentals also relevant) and how to attract developers. Andrews said partners that have long experience (Habitat for Humanity, nonprofit developers) pursue larger blocks of permanently affordable ownership, while inclusionary strategies can add pockets of affordable units in larger market developments.

Ending: Smith said the county will return with programmatic updates next month and a strategic-plan report in September. "We will be back to give the information…so you know what's going on around you," he said.