Meanwhile, the Affordable Housing Committee is trying to determine an equitable method for garnering fees from new construction projects to raise money for affordable housing. Town planning and community development manager Kendra Lelie states new businesses bring new workers who need affordable housing. Town staff decided a pro-rata fee of .02 percent of the construction value would be fair. Based on 2014 building permits that would bring in about $50,000.
Shawn Leininger, director of growth management, says there are not a lot of options to raise affordable housing funds. He says, “There are grants, but they’re not predictable and they’re competitive, and we’re not always guaranteed to get them. Not that a fee is guaranteed every year, because it’s going to depend on development activity, but it is the most common practice when it comes to trying to capture revenue for providing affordable housing.” They plan to discuss the issue again next month before making a recommendation to the Town Council. ##
(Photo credit: wsav-tv–Bluffton modular home)
