Councilwoman Campbell Convenes Highly Successful Affordable Housing Resources Forum

On Thursday, March 6, Councilwoman Debbie Campbell convened a panel of state experts to discuss access to resources for the development and preservation of affordable single-family and multifamily housing. The audience included developers, construction industry professionals and local non-profit partner representatives. Topics included state programs that provide:

* grants and loans for development of new affordable single-family and multifamily housing;
* grants and loans that make home ownership affordable;
* grants and loans for the renovation and preservation of existing rental units;
* funding for energy efficiency and lead paint abatement in owner occupied and rental properties; and
* grants available to income-qualified seniors so that they can make modifications needed to remain in their homes.

Examples of “green” construction and some of the resources available to encourage environmentally friendly construction were also discussed. All employers who attended were encouraged to sign up for the State's "Live Near Your Work" program. Through this program, the state matches employer contribution dollar for dollar, and the current list of participating employers includes businesses of all sizes from very small and mid-size to the very large.

Participants brought their own “brown bag” lunches to council chambers in the Government Office Building in downtown Salisbury and enjoyed a casual atmosphere while listening intently. There was an active and instructive free-flowing dialog between presenters and participants that maximized the value of the information, Campbell observed.

PowerPoint(R) presentations on the various topics will be available. Campbell is making arrangements to have copies of the meeting handouts available at the joint city/county planning office.

Based on the sizable attendance, the scope of questions raised and comments from participants regarding the usefulness and quality of the information presented, the session was evaluated as a “resounding success.” Future sessions on foreclosure prevention, local resources for home ownership, and “green” construction and development are planned for the near future.

To view the Power Point presentations: (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

Multifamily property financing tools

Single-family loans and grants for owner occupied and rental properties

Special Loan Program for homeowners - seniors grants