Housing Goals, Ojectives, Policies

Goal 1: Provide housing opportunities for all citizens of the County.

Objective 1.1: Encourage a mix of housing choices

  • Policy 1.1.1: Develop incentives for residential developments that meet high priority housing needs of the County.
  • Policy 1.1.2: Address demand for high end housing and promote availability of appropriate housing option to capture this demand.
  • Policy 1.1.3: Promote universal design features to improve housing stock that address accessibility and age-friendliness.
  • Policy 1.1.4: Promote community development designs that appeal to young professionals.
  • Policy 1.1.5: Promote the use of green technologies for housing construction, renovation and rehabilitation that reduce energy and water consumption, and cost for utilities, maintenance and repair.

Objective 1.2: Promote and support fair and open housing practices for all.

  • Policy 1.2.1: Partner with regional housing organizations, such as, New River Community Action, Housing Connections, Community Housing Partners, Habitat for Humanity and others, to provide information about housing programs and regional connections to housing resources.
  • Policy 1.2.2: Promote implementation of Fair Housing Act in housing and planning activities.

Objective 1.3: Support affordable housing within the County.

  • Policy 1.3.1: Identify and explore options to address affordable housing needs for low to moderate income families.
  • Policy 1.3.2: Incentivize mixed-income housing to avoid concentrations of affordable housing in certain areas.
  • Policy 1.3.3: Foster diverse affordable housing types.
  • Policy 1.3.4: Guide development of affordable housing to opportunities areas with easy access to transportation, and in close proximity to jobs, schools, childcare, food access commercial and recreational areas.
  • Policy 1.3.5: Assist community organizations that provide affordable housing products for low to moderate income households.
  • Policy 1.3.6: Partner with entities who administer housing assistance programs and provide affordable housing options to very-low, low, and moderate-income households.
  • Policy 1.3.7: Continue to participate in federal, state and regional housing assistance programs.

Objective 1.4: Preserve and improve quality of existing housing.

  • Policy 1.4.1: Develop cost share programs to encourage upgrades, improvements or rehabilitation of existing affordable housing stock.
  • Policy 1.4.2: Support the Building Department in their code compliance efforts.
  • Policy 1.4.3: Support building trades workforce development and workforce retention for those critical trades needed for housing rehab, repair and construction, such as; electricians, plumbers, mechanical/HVAC, carpenters etc. Encourage youth to pursue building trades occupation paths and encourage training for the next generation of contractors.
  • Policy 1.4.4: Conduct a conditions inventory of housing stock within target areas.
  • Policy 1.4.5: Consider financial incentives to encourage rehabilitation or reconstruction of substandard housing.
  • Policy 1.4.6: Pursue federal, state and local funding for demolition or rehabilitation of substandard housing.

Objective 1.5: Coordinate residential development types and locations with availability and capacity of roadways, water, sewer and other infrastructure.

  • Policy 1.5.1: Encourage residential development in areas where water and/or sewer infrastructure is available or can be made easily available.
  • Policy 1.5.2: Promote mixed use development to support smart growth patterns within the County.
  • Policy 1.5.3: Residential development type and density shall be compatible to adjacent roadway capacity and classification.
  • Policy 1.5.4: Support infill development by prioritizing public infrastructure in and around existing developed areas.