Mecklenburg County is set to tackle housing issues more effectively with the creation of a new Office of Housing and Community Development, announced by County Manager Mike Bryant on Tuesday.
The announcement was made during the Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum, marking one of Bryant’s first public appearances since taking office, according to the Charlotte Observer.
The new office aims to centralize and enhance the county’s efforts in addressing housing problems, building on initiatives such as funding for new housing developments and homeowner assistance programs.
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“We can’t just keep throwing money at it,” Bryant said, highlighting the need for a more coordinated approach to the county’s housing challenges.
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Current county initiatives include funding for new housing developments, a program that gives homeowners grants to help pay property taxes, a program that assists seniors with home repairs, and partnerships with community organizations to provide legal aid to people at risk of eviction.
Bryant noted that these efforts are currently “spread across” multiple county departments, which has prompted the need for a centralized office.
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The county’s January count found a record-high number of people living on the street in Mecklenburg, and nearly half of renters are “cost-burdened,” spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
Bryant also announced plans to launch a national search for a new assistant county manager dedicated to upward mobility, aiming to implement new systems to track program performance and strengthen relationships with civic leaders.
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