Chapel Hill Approves 2200 Homestead Project, Paves Way for More Affordable Housing

 

At its meeting last week, the Chapel Hill Town Council passed the 2200 Homestead Road project, paving the way for more affordable housing in the community.

For more than four years, the town has been planning to convert the 13 acres of land across the street from the Seymour Senior Center and down the road from Homestead Park into a mixed-income community with units set at below market price.

With the project’s conditional zoning application approved last week, 2200 Homestead is expected to include rental apartments and for-sale duplexes and townhomes surrounded by a variety of community amenities – including a multi-use greenway path, a basketball court, a co-op market, a bus stop, and playgrounds.

The project site currently consists of a single parcel with an existing gym building and Hope Gardens, a community garden. Now, Hope Gardens will be relocated to the northern portion of the property, adjacent to the Weaver Dairy Road Extension.

“There’s going to be between 115 and 126 affordable housing units on town-owned property,” said Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger. “It’s a collaboration between several affordable housing partners.”

In February of 2020, the town partnered with the Homestead Housing Collaborative. The collaborative is led by the Self Help Ventures Fund in partnerships with CASA, Community Home Trust, and Habitat for Humanity of Orange County – all affordable housing providers in the Triangle region.

According to the town, Self Help will handle the project coordination of the land development, Community Home Trust will develop 17 townhomes, Habitat for Humanity will develop 18 duplexes, and CASA will handle the construction of 72 units in three multifamily buildings.

Additionally, CASA intends to lease one of the multifamily buildings to UNC’s Horizons Program – a substance use disorder treatment program for women, including those who are pregnant, parenting, or whose lives have been touched by violence.

The project’s Statement of Justification states that 100 percent of the planned housing will be affordable. The Town of Chapel Hill considers affordable housing as housing that costs no more than 30 percent of a household’s income.

“It’s very exciting,” Hemminger said. “It will help give many more options to folks looking for that affordable housing in our community.”

The town hopes to have all necessary approvals and permits granted in fall 2021 so that construction of 2200 Homestead can begin in early 2022.

Hemminger said the approval of this project is one big step towards reaching Chapel Hill’s goal of increasing availability and access to housing for all residents.

“I’m very pleased with the progress we’re making on all fronts,” Hemminger said. “We had our third quarter report – we’re spot on target for the goals we’ve set for ourselves. It’s important to set your goals and to reach for them but to also give the resources needed to do that.”

2200 Homestead isn’t the only affordable housing project in the works. The Chapel Hill Town Council recently reviewed concept plans for 66 Jay Street. The proposed project would include roughly 50 apartment rentals in the Northside neighborhood as well as a community center.

The town’s Community Design Commission is expected to review Jay Street plans and make comments on the project at its meeting Thursday night.

Lead photo via Town of Chapel Hill. 

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