“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.
Healthy Schools Demand More Housing
A perspective from Aaron Nelson
As someone with a deep personal connection to Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) —my wife is an educator in the district and our children are products of CHCCS schools — news of their pending staff reduction focused my attention. This week, the Board of Education voted to support a phased restructuring, and we know more tough choices are yet to come.
Incredible public schools are a cornerstone of this community’s identity. People clamor for their kids to attend our schools, so how can they have such budget challenges?
At Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting, we learned that declining student population is the root cause of this situation. CHCCS enrollment is down by more than 1,200 pupils (nearly 10%) since 2020. Enrollment is dropping fastest in early elementary grades. State and local school funding follows students. When student counts decline, school budgets follow.
The good news is we already know how to address this challenge. We must build more homes.
For decades, our local governments have been a bit too conservative with the hammer and nails, resulting in a stagnating and aging population. Simply put, we haven’t built enough homes for new families to move into our wonderful school district. CHCCS remains one of the best public school districts in the nation and families are still eager for their kids to attend our schools. But alas, too few can find a home they can afford.
This is one reason why expanding the availability and affordability of housing is one of the top goals in the Chamber’s Campaign for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro. We believe that creating more opportunities for families to comfortably live here will help reverse this trend and breathe new life (and students) into our school system. More housing options are also critical for every employer in town struggling to fill open jobs and keep current teammates.
More good news, our community is already making progress on the housing front. Earlier this year the community approved a water-sewer service boundary extension from Southern Village to the Chatham County line. This Chamber-priority goal will one day allow for expansion of affordable and workforce housing along this transit corridor close to schools and job centers. Taking this step required votes by five local governing bodies, and 88% of the council members and commissioners cast pro-housing votes.
Also, all local governments – Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange County – are in the process of updating land use plans and development rules. The Town of Chapel Hill’s Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) is midway through a once in a generation rewrite. This policy governs everything about what gets built, or doesn’t, within Town limits. The Chamber charted a Task Force to elevate pro-housing policy change recommendations, and reception to our initial set has been positive. An overhaled LUMO can create a more conducive policy framework and a smoother project approval process, allowing for smart growth and the delivery of more homes that families can afford.
We are already taking crucial steps in the right direction. So, while the current situation is challenging, let’s look to the future with optimism. With the right policies and a commitment to change, we can ensure that Chapel Hill-Carrboro remains a vibrant, thriving community where families can flourish.
Aaron Nelson, President, The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
