Commentary: Sussex County’s positive growth is highlighted
Things have continued to heat up since my last commentary on affordable housing. A recent seminar was put together by nonprofit groups who would like to see more investment and efforts to build a greater variety of housing stock in our county. This seminar was a good first step, but I see that the problem will not be solved unless the private sector becomes more involved. Emphasis was placed on more government funding, but that will only go so far.
Private funding is essential to provide options in the housing market that do not exist today. And if private funding is to come into the marketplace to help solve this problem, zoning codes must be reviewed to make this possible. That doesn’t mean everything gets thrown out and we lose the protections that the codes and comprehensive plans afford us, but it does mean that those plans and codes don’t become a roadblock to building more homes.
There is a renewed effort to do that. Sussex County Council has set up a $6.3 million housing fund that will help. The council also began the amendment process for its already existing affordable-rental ordinance. Amending this ordinance would allot up to 12 units per acre, an increase from the four units common today. It requires that these units be built where public or private sewer and water already exists or could be expanded to these areas. It spells out where these units could be built, including planning areas, like town center and developing and coastal areas. It expands the zoning codes, so that this type of project would be allowed by right in those areas by giving the Planning & Zoning Commission control and review of plans, eliminating at least eight months of delays in even getting to discuss these projects.
This revised ordinance would also require that anyone qualifying for these units would have to live and be employed in Sussex County for at least one year. The Sussex Economic Development Action Committee believes that this requirement has some room for movement and has urged the council to look at the Bridgeville ordinance, modeled after the original county ordinance, which gives Bridgeville residents a three-month open period to rent or buy these units before they go on the open market.
SEDAC also took exception to the 100-foot setbacks from neighboring properties unless it is tied to the height of the rental units. We also took exception to the requirement that 50% of the developed parcel must be left in open space. With the price of land that either has sewer and water already available or available nearby, this could affect the number of units being built, thus opening the development of adjacent land to similar development, a sprawl-type effect, if you will.
The final comment dealt with creating an appeal process for those who already apply for these units and are turned down. We urged the county to consider these changes, but SEDAC can live with what has been proposed.
SEDAC also urged the County Council to begin discussion concerning the affordable-housing ordinance already in place that deals with homeownership. The county has always been a leader in this regard. Back in the ’70s and ’80s, the council sold millions in housing mortgage bonds that made it possible for some Sussex Countians to obtain an affordable mortgage, so that they would be able to buy a home in Sussex. Developing a workable affordable-housing program would continue that leadership position.
The General Assembly and governor could get with the affordability program by passing a reduction in the 1% increase in the transfer tax that passed a few years ago when Delaware faced a budget crisis. There is a bill already introduced to do just that, and SEDAC urges passage of that legislation.
And finally, SEDAC, through its Advocacy Committee, has begun endorsing projects throughout the county addressing both employment and affordability. The first endorsement is of The Ponds, a project in the town of Georgetown. It is a 72-unit apartment project located behind the existing Georgetown Plaza. The project will obviously create construction jobs but also fulfills a critical need for workforce housing. The development is in an ideal location, adjacent to a commercial project that promotes walkability for retail shopping, and meets the Georgetown 2021 comprehensive plan update.
Exciting times are continuing to happen in Sussex, as we begin the process of building more affordable homes for our people.
Joseph T. Conaway is the chairman of the Sussex Economic Development Action Committee.
