HomeMy WebLinkAboutWHAC Minutes 12.4.24 APPROVEDWHAC meeting 12/4/2024
New Hanover County – City of Wilmington Workforce Housing Advisory Committee
December 4, 2024, Regular meeting
Committee Members Present: Chair Tom Gale, Vice Chair Paul Stavovy, Jody Wainio, Eric
Knight, Katrina Knight, Chad Hill, Antrevonn Tate
NHC Staff Present: Rebekah Roth, Katia Boykin, Lisa Maes, Theo McClammy, Kourtney
Wilson, Marshall Fugate
City of Wilmington Staff Present: Rachel Schuler, Nick Reinhart, Gilbert Combs, Travis
Henley
Approval Agenda
• Paul Stavovy motioned to APPROVE the November 6 minutes and SECONDED by
Katrina Knight. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved by
unanimous consent.
New Business
2025 Annual Report
• Provided overview of the process and timeline for developing the annual report.
• Discussion of recommendations to county commissioners and city council on
affordable workforce housing.
• Emphasis on using data from prior reports and community feedback to shape the
2025 recommendations.
• Targeting February for report completion to align with budgetary discussions.
• Expressed concern over the lack of actionable outcomes from last year’s
recommendations. Suggested focusing on specific, measurable goals.
• Highlighted the importance of aligning with commissioners’ and council’s priorities,
suggesting workshops or targeted discussions to better communicate the
committee’s goals.
Housing Data Updates
• Shared housing production numbers for 2024, noting a higher output compared to
previous years.
• Highlighted the persistent gap in housing affordability despite increased
construction.
• Warned of potential rent increases in 2025 due to a slowdown in new housing
developments.
Committee Discussions and Recommendations
Funding and Financial Partnerships
• Suggested using case studies like Avenue Flats to demonstrate successful multi-
source funding models.
• Advocated for layering financial resources at the local level to leverage state and
private funds effectively.
• Recommended streamlining funding processes to make them more accessible for
developers and stakeholders.
• Policy and Zoning Improvements
• Proposed studying density bonus systems and parking regulation adjustments to
encourage affordable housing development. Highlighted successful models in
Raleigh.
• Suggested allowing developers to submit private parking studies to reduce
unnecessary costs and increase housing density.
• Supportive Housing Programs
• Addressed gaps in current funding structures for low-income and supportive
housing, advocating for a broader definition of workforce housing.
• Emphasized the need to address challenges for residents below 60% AMI in existing
programs.
• Education and Public Engagement
• Reported on public engagement data showing strong community support for
affordable housing initiatives. Over 5,000 participants engaged through recent
outreach.
• Mentioned ongoing work to enhance the housing website and create educational
materials for public dissemination.
Next Steps
1. Assign committee members to refine specific recommendation buckets:
o Funding: Sharm Brently, Paul Stavovy, Morgan Moskal, Katrina Knight
o Diversity of Housing Supply/Funding, Policies, and Legislation: McKay
Siegel, Roger Gins, Marshall Pickett, Eric Knight
o Programs: Antrevonn Tate, Sharm Brently, Tom Gale, Katrina Knight
o Education: Kristi Keser, Jody Wainio, Chad Hill
2. Draft recommendations to be reviewed at the January meeting.
3. Finalize and submit the 2025 annual report for presentation in February.
Adjournment
Mr. Stavovy made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Gins. The motion
passed unanimously.
Meeting Adjourned at: 5:00 PM
Next Meeting: January 8, 2025, at 3:00pm