Commissioner Matt Calabria talks affordable housing

Rachel Zeitler | December 5, 2017

Wake County has experienced considerable growth over the last ten years, but one in four families are still spending more than they can afford for housing. NC Policy Watch recently interviewed Wake County Commissioner Matt Calabria on the state of affordable housing in the local community.

According to Commissioner Calabria, Wake County is rowing by 67 people per day. This exponential growth is contributing to supply and demand challenges. The County has a limited amount of land, rising housing prices, and a tighter job market.

“We’ve got 56,000 working families that make less than $39,000 a year in Wake County,” Commissioner
Calabria explained. “We’ve got to make sure that they can prosper just like everyone else.”

The Wake County Board of Commissioners recently approved a 20-year plan to increase affordable
housing. The County’s next step will be figuring out how to fund the plan’s initiatives.

Listen to the full, 20-minute interview on NC Policy Watch’s website.

In November, the Wake County Commissioners narrowly voted to turn an old golf course into a park in Commissioner Calabria’s district. Opponents of the project wanted any land deal or funding allocated by the County to be put toward urgent needs, such as affordable housing and education.