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The Charlotte Ledger, a media voice for the region, generally presents a balanced view of the most urgent voices commenting on growth and development. To that end, they recently reported about the cities surrounding Charlotte that are “Tapping the Brakes on Growth” which makes sense but it’s not tapping that’s happening. Some local government leaders are erecting a big, tall stop sign.
This story touches on bigger issues and in some cases oversimplifies certain narratives, like measuring the unprecedented effect moratoriums can have on the future economic health of a municipality. Once you push the brakes, starting again becomes a very different story. And the narrative almost implies that moratoriums are common sense tools.
Read the article here and let us know your comments. (If you don’t subscribe, we highly recommend you do or request a copy.) Here’s a link to subscription information: The Charlotte Ledger.
My Take: Here’s why we shared this article, because REBIC is digging further to all the nuanced, critical, and multi-layered reasons why growth needs to be embraced. The main reasons for pushback are often emotional and fueled by NIMBY aesthetic discomfort, not economic logic. In fact, the statement in the article that says “…what couldn’t have been anticipated was how much growth would occur in such a short timeframe…” represents that we never saw this coming. That is not true. Since many zoning overlays, and residential/commercial parcels have been poised for development for almost a decade, that and the published trend of growth over the last 20 years was always a clear indicator of the future. Some leaders in local government are just pretending they were blindsided and people are now uncomfortable as it comes into view. Why did I do the interview? My comments focused on the problem of a clear lack of supply and a refusal to see this is a human problem. It’s the fact that humans need homes and many are refusing to acknowledge it.
A message from Statesville Council-member At Large James Pressly:
“One of the biggest issues relevant to REBIC members working in the Statesville market is that the city is working hard on updating its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). I will provide updates as they occur.
“And last month, in Orlando, I attended a meeting organized by NAHB called America’s Housing Comeback. It is made up of a coalition of the National League of Cities, American Planning Association, and local elected officials from across the country. That coalition developed the “Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook”, which is a terrific document for local governments and the building community. I’ve also connected our city manager and planning director with the NLC, and hope we will adopt the recommendations in the Playbook as we examine the way in which we regulate new development.
“Here are the links to these important documents:”
America’s Housing Comeback – National League of Cities
Housing Supply Accelerator – National League of Cities
My Take: James Pressly’s victory last fall in Statesville is a win for all those who know that business-minded and experienced policy makers make decisions based on what’s good for a town and don’t just appease a few loud and uninformed voices. We were so pleased to hear that James and others attended the NAHB organized event that we decided to share the Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook with you. — Here’s a deeper insight: This assures you there are municipalities that are trying to create a better narrative around housing supply. The Playbook is clear proof that’s happening. — Bottom line, we need more experienced, visionary leaders like James to help bridge the gap of misunderstanding and keep us on track for economic health for years to come. — Keep up the positive work, James. And thank you!
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