Blogs
Coldwell Banker is out with their annual home price comparisons, as reported by the Triangle Business Journal, and the news isn't so great for anyone living in Orange County concerned with affordability.
Chapel Hill ranks as the most expensive housing community in North Carolina. A typical four-bedroom, two-bathroom home will cost you an average of $401,765 here, compared with a state average of only $229,112. Hillsborough ranks 9th at $276,816.
For comparison, the average price for a four-bedroom, two-bath home in Durham is only $250,129. In Raleigh, it's $272,305.
The metric isn't perfect - looking only at relatively large houses - but the comparison still paints a pretty clear picture of what's happening in Orange County compared with the rest of the state.
With Mia Burroughs winning a seat on the Orange County Board of Commissioners last week, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board has announced its process to fill the vacancy she will leave when she officially resigns on November 30, 2014. The deadline for applications is next Wednesday, November 19.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has provided this informational packet for individuals interested in applying for the seat. Additionally, an information session will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 17, at Lincoln Center (750 S. Merritt Mill Road, Chapel Hill) for applicants to learn more about the roles and expectations of the position.
The Board will interview candidates at a special meeting on Monday, November 24, at 6pm at Lincoln Center, with a vote to be taken at its December 4 meeting. The selected appointee will be sworn in on December 18.
Carolina North will top the agenda for the Chapel Hill Town Council’s Monday business meeting Monday. Throughout the rest of the week, the council will also consider transportation improvements in the Ephesus-Fordham area and Obey Creek. The Carrboro Alderfolks will discuss a potential new zoning classification, while the county commissioners will talk ETJ and curbside recycling. The Hillsborough Town Board will start the public outreach process for its Vision 2030 document, while the county school board will set the school calendar for next year.
Here’s the full summary:
CARRBORO BOARD OF ALDERPERSONS
CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL
Extensive mold and other serious maintenance issues, unannounced inspections, living with no water, play equipment removed, violence, disrepect by management, inability to use shared resources, children not allowed to play outside.....
Would you be surprised to know that these are just some of the complaints coming from our neighbors who live in affordable housing complexes throughout Orange County (Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough)?
Orange County Justice United is partnering with residents in all of these complexes to organize the community, conduct neighborhood audits to acertain the extend of the issues, present these findings to management, and have the issues addressed.
The Gateway Village Apartments in Hillsborough is one such housing complex. A story about our work together can be found here.
We know that there is a shortage of affordable housing in our communities. We must work to ensure that the affordable housing that is available, is welcoming unless we want to be a community of the wealthy.
For a number of reasons, primarily the lack of availability and cost of land, the focus of new residential construction has become apartments. All of the major development projects currently moving through the pipeline – Village Plaza Apartments, Obey Creek, Glen Lennox, The Graduate, The Edge – are almost exclusively apartments for their residential components. And in the case of Obey Creek, about half of the apartments are targeted to those over 55.
So where will the kids live?
In Chapel Hill, as in so many communities nationally, apartments are seen as a poor choice for raising children. Historically, many of us want backyards and grass for our kids. In fact, many developers tout the fiscal advantages of creating environments unappealing to families with children – few pupils for our schools and ample school taxes.
Pages
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
