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Residents urge action on affordable housing; council directs item on hiring housing staff to Oct. 21 agenda
Summary
Two residents urged the council to address rising housing costs and to create capacity for affordable‑housing work; the Affordable Housing Task Force reconvened Oct. 6 and formed subcommittees. Councilmember Dellinger placed consideration of a full‑time affordable‑housing staff position on the Oct. 21 agenda for discussion.
Two residents spoke during public comment on Oct. 7 about affordability challenges in Garner and urged council action on affordable housing and collaboration across the county.
"I come before you today with enormous gratitude," said Katie Cardenas, who described her prior service on the town's Affordable Housing Task Force and urged council to approve a full‑time affordable‑housing staff position. Cardenas invited councilmembers to a county‑wide affordable‑housing candidates forum she and partners organized and listed speakers and organizations scheduled to appear, including Wake County Housing Affordability and Community Revitalization Director Morgan Mansa and representatives from Habitat Wake and DHIC.
Mary Bridal described residents who can no longer afford to remain in Garner after rapid home‑value increases. She said a retired teacher bought a home for about $128,000 that is now assessed at $340,000 and that some residents fall between eligibility thresholds for public assistance and market housing. "I love living in Garner. That's why I've lived here so long. But I wanna make sure that other people can be here as well," Bridal said.
Separately, Mayor Pro Tem Elmo Vance reported the Affordable Housing Task Force met Oct. 6 and has created subcommittees to study resource investment, partnerships and community engagement and will provide more frequent briefings to council. Councilmember Dellinger asked when the council would act on the previously discussed housing staff position and noted task‑force work underway. Following discussion, Councilmember Dellinger placed the item to consider adding a dedicated affordable‑housing staff position on the Oct. 21 council agenda for discussion.
Staff said the task force plans to develop specific deliverables and return recommendations to the full task force before asking council to take final action. No hiring decision was made Oct. 7; council members asked staff and the task force to continue work and bring recommended next steps to the Oct. 21 meeting.
