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COG presents county housing authority option as one tool to address Avery County housing shortfall
Summary
Chris Grubb of the High Country Council of Governments briefed commissioners on possibilities and limits of creating a county housing authority to pursue housing development, grant eligibility and mixed-income projects; board asked staff to explore options and return with recommendations.
The Avery County Board of Commissioners heard a presentation July 7 from Chris Grubb of the High Country Council of Governments about the possibility of forming a county housing authority to expand the county's capacity to develop housing.
Grubb told commissioners that while local governments face limits in the housing space, a county housing authority can give a county additional powers to own, hold, improve and operate housing projects, apply for certain disaster-recovery and nonprofit-targeted grants, and carry out mixed-income projects tailored to local need.
"You can own, hold, clear and improve property, sell, exchange, lease and assign property," Grubb said. "You can provide for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, alteration, repair of any housing project or part thereof." He added that an authority still must comply with income-targeting limits tied to area median income (AMI) and federal rules: in Avery County, Grubb cited roughly $50,400 (60% AMI) and $67,200 (80% AMI) as example thresholds discussed in planning documents.
Grubb said the council will consult the UNC School of Government for details on formation and authority powers and suggested the housing vehicle could help the county apply for grants and build the types of units identified in a recent county housing study. "Some of the disaster-recovery grants that are out there ... could potentially be a benefit to have a county authority that you're able to apply for some of those grants," he said.
Commissioners noted the region has increased attention and funding opportunities following recent storms and disaster recovery work. One commissioner said the county could work with existing authorities rather than compete with them but added a local authority could allow Avery County to focus development on local needs and keep projects aligned with the types of housing the county's study identified.
The board asked the county manager to gather more information, and commissioners indicated by consensus they would like staff to analyze what formation would entail, possible structures and funding avenues and to bring recommendations back to the board (including the possibility of an early workshop). Grubb said he planned to meet with the UNC School of Government the following day to seek more detailed legal guidance.
Ending: The presentation was informational and produced direction to staff rather than a decision: commissioners asked the manager to research formation steps and funding options and return with a report and potential workshop date.
