Currently 44% of Wake residents are “housing burdened,” meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. A roof over your head or a place for your children to sleep is becoming out of reach for more and more of our citizens. As Wake County grows rapidly, property values are growing rapidly as well. In fact, both home sale prices and rents have increased faster than incomes.
WakeUP’s Board of Directors agrees the next critical step in the Wake transit process should be planning for affordable housing along transit corridors. Our Great Schools in Wake coalition advocates also note that having affordable housing across the county helps diversify public schools. Julia Lee, WakeUP Board Chair, recently shared this message at the Cary Town Council. Cary ranks last of all Wake towns in providing affordable housing, but neighbors are opposing a Habitat for Humanity project that would build 9 homes on 2.6 acres. The Cary Planning Board voted against the project.
Housing for people across the economic spectrum is needed in our communities. People who qualify for affordable housing are teachers, firefighters, medical assistants, and service sector employees. People who help our community thrive, and people we all should welcome as neighbors.
This growing crisis spurred Wake County to create a steering committee to develop a 20-year affordable housing plan to ensure we can meet the growing demand for housing at all income levels.