HomeMy WebLinkAbout12. December 2020 Minutes
New Hanover County-City of Wilmington Workforce Housing Advisory Committee
December 2, 2020 Regular Meeting
Committee Members Present: Sharm Brantley, Evelyn Bryant, Patrick Brien, Tom Gale, Don Harris,
Katrina Knight, Steve Spain, David Spetrino, Paul Stavovy, Glenda Tate, Lori Wainright
Staff Present: Joe Donohoe (NHC), Glenn Harbeck (CoW), Rachel LaCoe (NHC), Suzanne Rogers (CoW),
Rebekah Roth (NHC)
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order and a quorum was established through roll call at 3:03 pm by Chairperson
Evelyn Bryant.
Approve Agenda
Mr. David Spetrino made a motion to approve the agenda, which was seconded by Mr. Tom Gale and
adopted unanimously.
Approve Minutes
Ms. Glenda Tate made a motion to approve the draft minutes from the November 4, 2020 meeting. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Spetrino and adopted unanimously.
Public Comments
No Public Comments
New Business
Adoption of 2021 Calendar
Meetings will remain virtual for the foreseeable future and will occur on the first Wednesday of
the month.
The Workforce Housing Advisory Committee will not convene in the month of July.
The 2021 Calendar was adopted.
Update on Housing Study and Survey
Chairperson Bryant recognized Workforce Housing Planner Rachel LaCoe.
Ms. LaCoe provided an update of two components of the Comprehensive Housing Study.
UNCG portion of the study:
The survey is completed and now under review
Received roughly 40 hard copies of the survey
In total, over 1,400 responses received, resulting in <95% confidence level
Report is expected before the New Year
Bowen National Research portion of the study:
Bowen completed the initial rough draft of the Housing Need Assessment Study
Staff members are in the process of reviewing the study to vet findings and assumptions
Ms. LaCoe will reach out to stakeholders to review specific sections of the Study
Timeline of the Bowen Housing Need Assessment Study:
o Initial rough draft: Completed
o Stakeholder review: In Progress
o Comments to Bowen: Late December
o Bowen incorporation of UNCG Survey: January
o Review updated Bowen draft: February-March
Workforce Housing Public Awareness Campaign Strategies
The City and County need to prepare budgets for the next fiscal year so the Committee was prompted to
brainstorm potential advertising and awareness campaign strategies to assist in determining needed
budgeting requests.
Discussion included identifying key advertising strategies, identifying key messages, and defining the
committee’s audience.
Suggestions also included:
Defining affordable housing, workforce housing, and highlight what that would look like in New
Hanover County and Wilmington.
Creating a “real life” perspective as to what this issue means for individuals and highlight the
stories of those impacted locally.
Producing one page resources, podcasts and other multimedia advertising, public service
announcements, mobile advertising on ReStore trucks, to disseminate information from the
Housing Survey and Housing Need Study.
Identifying the audience for targeted marketing, including the Cape Fear Realtors annual
meeting and other civic groups.
Selection of Chair and Vice Chair
Ms. LaCoe entertained nominations for Committee Chair.
Mr. Harris nominated Mr. Spain as Chair. Mr. Spain respectfully declined the nomination.
Mr. Spain nominated Mr. Spetrino as Chair, which was seconded by Mr. Harris. Mr. Spetrino accepted
the nomination.
Ms. LaCoe called for additional nominations. With none, Ms. LaCoe entertained nominations for
Committee Vice Chair.
Mr. Spetrino nominated Ms. Tate as Vice Chair. Ms. Tate respectfully declined the nomination.
Mr. Spetrino nominated Ms. Brantley as Vice Chair, which was seconded by Mr. Spain. Ms. Brantley
accepted the nomination.
Ms. LaCoe called for additional nominations.
With no other nominations, Ms. LaCoe held a vote for Mr. Spetrino as Chair and Ms. Brantley as Vice
Chair. The Committee voted unanimously in support of the nominees.
Announcements
Ms. LaCoe shared that Ms. Lori Wainright will replace Ms. Bryant as the representative from the
Community Relations Advisory Committee.
Ms. Bryant thanked the Committee for their time and support.
Mr. Spetrino thanked Ms. Bryant for her service as the Committee Chair.
Mr. Spain announced that Mr. Gale is the new Chair of the Realtor’s Association and that the Association
recently sponsored a new Habitat build.
Adjournment
With no further questions or comments, a quorum was established through roll call. Chairperson Spetrino
adjourned the meeting at 3:58 PM.