Raleigh shares proposal to create more affordable housing downtown :: WRAL.com

STILL UNCLEAR. BUT RIGHT NOW WE DO KNOW HE IS IN CUSTODY BEHIND BARS TONIGHT. BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU, MARK. >> RALEIGH LEADERS HAVE A PROPOSAL TO BRING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO DOWNTOWN. THEY WOULD REPURPOSE CITY OWN PROPERTIES, BUILDING HOUSING ON SEVERAL LOTS AND SELLING ANOTHER PUTTING PROCEEDS BACK INTO THE PLAN. WRAL’S MATT TALHELM TALK TO CITY LEADERS AND HE JOINS US NOW LIVE WITH HOW THIS WOULD WORK BEST. >> WELL, DEBORAH, THE CITY OWNS THIS OVERGROWN GRAVEL PARKING LOT HERE. WE’RE JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE FROM MOORE SQUARE RIGHT ACROSS THE BLOC HERE. ONE OF THE WAYS THIS COULD WORK IS THE CITY WOULD STILL OWN THE LAND BENEATH AT HOUSING. IT’S CALLED A LONG-TERM LAND LEASE AND THAT GUARANTEES THAT WHAT GETS BUILT ABOVE THIS GROUND REMAINS AFFORDABLE HOUSING >> THAT I DID. WHAT TO ME AS WELL. 10 MINUTE WALK. EVERYTHING YOU NEED DOWN THERE. AND TONY WILLIAMS LIKES KEEPING CLOSE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR DOWNTOWN RALEIGH WHERE HE GREW UP THE COST OF LIVING HERE ALMOST $1000. THIS IS JUST LIVE IN. A ONE-BEDROOM IS BECOMING MORE OF A LUXURY. THE PRICE GOING UP. >> AROUND DOWNTOWN IS LIKE IS PUSHING PEOPLE REALLY FROM RALEIGH. FARTHER OUT, RALEIGH IS PUSHING TO ADD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOWNTOWN, BUT MAKING USE OF CITY OWNED LAND AND LOCATIONS VALUABLE TO DEVELOPERS. THE MARKET ITSELF IS NOT BUILDING HOMES AT A PRICE POINT AND A RANGE. >> THAT HELPS PEOPLE WITH AFFORDABILITY. SO WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART AS A CITY. RIGHT NOW, THE CITY IS LOOKING FOR A DEVELOPER FOR THIS PROPERTY ON THE EAST SIDE OF MOORE SQUARE BETWEEN PERSON AND BLOODWORTH STREET. THE REDEVELOPMENT WOULD ALLOW UP TO 20 STORIES OF MIXED USE SPACE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS PART OF THE DEAL. THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TELLS DEVELOPERS THE MAXIMIZATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IS A KEY CONSIDERATION FOR EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS. I THINK THIS IS A REAL FOCUS ON PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HIGH OPPORTUNITY LOCATIONS. >> WHERE THERE’S OPPORTUNITY ACCESS TO TRANSIT JOBS. >> AND OTHER BENEFITS OF URBAN LIVING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SQUARE. THE CITY IS OFFERING DEVELOPERS THIS PUBLIC PARKING LOT NEXT TO CITY MARKET. >> THE CITY WOULD SELL THIS STRIP OF LAND WITH THE MONEY GOING INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND. THOSE ARE JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE CORNER OF EAST AND CABARRUS STREET. THE CITY IS COBBLING TOGETHER PROPERTIES HERE FOR A DEVELOPER TO BUILD AFFORDABLE EFFICIENCY OR STUDIO APARTMENTS UNDER A LONG-TERM LAND LEASE EMPTY DARTS NOT HELPING ANYONE. AND SO FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEN LEVERAGE OUR OWN LAND. >> FOR PRODUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. >> THAT LAND ON EAST STREET IS JUST ABOUT 2 OR 3 BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. CITY COUNCIL JUST APPROVED THE REZONING OF THAT. THAT WILL THEN GO TO A DEVELOPER FOR OFFERS FOR THESE IDEAS TO DEVELOP US AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THAT’S ACTUALLY WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THIS PROPERTY HERE IN MOORE STREET OR IN THE MOORE SQUARE AREA. THE CITY IS TAKING THOSE PROPOSALS FROM DEVELOPERS AND HOPES TO SELECT A DEVELOPER FOR THIS PROJECT BY THE END OF THE