GREENSBORO, N.C. — City leaders have a renewed focus on homelessness in Greensboro. Many of them have several ideas to ease the issue.
Some solutions are starting to take shape while others are still in the works.
Affordable apartment homes are already available, with more units on the way. Another idea is parking lots for people living out of their cars. WFMY News 2's Grace Holland dug into both ideas Wednesday.
The long-term solution here for city leaders is making housing more affordable, but here's what they're up against. The need for affordable housing is only going to get bigger. The city estimates that 11,000 more families will need affordable housing by 2030.
Red Hill Pointe apartments
Put it in perspective with a new affordable housing complex opening next week in Greensboro. Eighty-four families are set to move into Red Hill Pointe, a private non-profit building with tax credits and help from the city and state.
David Levy, Affordable Housing Management Executive Director shares how you won't be able to see these types of prices for a three-bedroom house anywhere else.
“The highest rent here is $785 for a three-bedroom two bath. I don't think you can find a new three-bedroom two bath apartment anywhere especially in Greensboro now for double that amount,” Levy said.
Eight weeks after construction started, the wait list had 900 people on it. Executive Director David Levy said that's way more than they can help.
“There are so many people that need affordable housing that it just doesn't exist. We can't build them fast enough. We could build faster and more if we had more funding but the funding it’s just limited,” Levy explained.
This is why city leaders are also looking for short-term solutions, because many people may not have somewhere to stay while they wait for a home they can afford.
Temporary pallet houses and safe parking lots
Tuesday, the city council approved some temporary shelter options, many for people who find themselves homeless. Adding these pallet houses is one of those initiatives, along with hotel assistance for families and winter shelters. Another is a safe parking lot for people who are living out of their cars.
“Losing your car is kind of for most people the last step before really falling into a deeper level of homelessness so for folks that still have their vehicles it's really important to them,” Michelle Kennedy, Greensboro Director of housing and neighborhood development said.
The goal here is to keep people from falling deeper into homelessness, case workers would be on-site to connect them with services.
A max of 35 cars could be at that site from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. The city hopes to have this lot and those other measures in place in the next few months.