Oxford Housing Commission to Hold Summit on Affordable Housing

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The city of Oxford and the Executive Committee of the Oxford Housing Commission will be holding a Kick-Off Summit on affordable housing in hopes of getting more citizens involved in coming up with creative solutions.

The summit will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on May 9 at the Oxford Conference Center.

The event will include a presentation from Jeff Staudinger of Asheville, North Carolina – an expert in affordable housing issues – and then the formation of five topical study committees.

Attendees can sign up to serve on up to two of the topical study committees and have time for an initial conversation.

“We are seeking approximately five to 10 people for each committee, who can commit to meeting about once a month for at least six months,” said Judy Daniel, senior associate director for the Oxford Planning Department.

Additional information on the scope of the work of each committee will be distributed at the meeting.

The committees to be formed will include:

• Housing Needs – Below 80 percent of Area Median Income
• Housing Needs – Little to No Income / Homelessness
• Housing Needs – From 80 to 100 percent of Area Median Income
• Data, Definitions, and Terminology – Deeper evaluation of background concerns, including economics.
• Mixed Issues – Including maintenance or repair assistance for substandard housing, expanded transit options, opportunity zones and housing opportunities, student housing, substandard rental housing and housing finance options

Staudinger is a leading expert in the areas of local affordable housing finance policy and strategy. His work included directing a 30-town regional economic development organization; organizing one of Vermont’s first Main Street organizations; directing a community land trust.

He became the community development director for the City of Asheville in 2009 and retired in June of 2017 as assistant director of the Community and Economic Development Department. His work with the City of Asheville focused on affordable housing policy development and funding. For that work, he was recognized in 2016 by the North Carolina Housing Coalition as “Affordable Housing Professional of the Year.” He is now a community development consultant to local governments, non-profits and housing developers.

“It will be exciting to see this effort move forward as we consider elements of how to address the affordable housing needs of residents of Oxford and Lafayette County,” Daniel said.

Mayor Robyn Tannehill said Oxford is a “victim of its own success” and that having more affordable housing options has been a conversation city leaders have had for many years.

“It is a high priority of this board to find ways to help the people who make this community go around and make it a reality that they can actually live here,” she said Tuesday.

Tannehill said people who want to get involved should attend the May 9 meeting.

“People have said they want to be a part of this conversation,” she said, “and this is the opportunity for them to do so. We welcome as many voices to the table as we can get.”

For questions related to this event please contact Daniel at jdaniel@oxfordms.net or 662-232-2305.