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Affordable Housing advisory committee reports rental gaps, voucher strain and preservation work in 2024 annual update
Summary
The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee reported on 2024 activities including Oakview opening (72 income‑restricted units), updates to the county Housing Trust Fund, a mobile‑home outreach subgroup and rising costs of housing choice vouchers; commissioners appointed two new AHAC members.
Chatham County’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) presented its 2024 annual report to the Board of Commissioners on March 18, summarizing accomplishments, data on housing needs and an action plan for 2025.
Presenters Jamie Andrews and Tiffany Stuflick highlighted that a recent development, Oakview in Siler City, opened 72 income‑restricted units targeted at households earning roughly 30 to 60 percent of area median income and that the county’s Housing Trust Fund made an award in the most recent cycle. The committee said it updated the Housing Trust Fund application process and added a stipend to support outreach and research.
Vouchers and rental market: AHAC reported county‑level data on Housing Choice Vouchers and related challenges. The housing department told the board Chatham County has just over 500 vouchers allocated by HUD; about 370 were leased and roughly 150 were available in the most recent counts presented. The committee also noted the average voucher gap — the subsidy needed to reach fair‑market rent beyond what a household pays — has risen roughly 40 percent over five years, driven by higher market rents.
Preservation and outreach: AHAC said it is prioritizing preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing through a mobile‑home subgroup that will pilot outreach and a survey of park conditions. The committee also reported work with municipal staff and nonprofit partners to improve coordination, to refine the application rubric for the Housing Trust Fund, and to provide feedback to applicants who were not awarded funds.
Data and gaps: Presenters reviewed a year‑by‑year comparison of population growth versus permitted units and noted an annual shortfall of new rental housing compared with incoming households; AHAC staff estimated an annual delta in the most recent year of roughly 800 household units needed to meet demand based on available regional data.
Appointments: The commission approved two appointments to AHAC at the March meeting. Lincoln Fry was appointed as a District‑5 representative (term through 2026). Claire Cain was appointed to an at‑large seat on AHAC. The appointments were moved and approved in the regular meeting consent actions.
Why it matters: The committee’s report underscores a mix of development‑stage progress (new units such as Oakview), continuing affordability pressure in the rental market, and the county’s focus on outreach to preserve existing affordable stock. The board asked staff and AHAC to continue developing a public dashboard and to refine a countywide affordable‑housing pipeline so commissioners can identify where to invest and how to coordinate with municipal partners.
Evidence: The AHAC presentation and the committee’s action plan were presented to the board on March 18; AHAC public minutes and the Housing Trust Fund award list were cited by staff.
