City of Clinton officials said those low to moderate housing opportunities could be down the line, notably around areas where run-down properties have been purchased for just that purpose — revitalization and redevelopment.
“There’s definitely a need for moderate income housing,” said Councilwoman Maxine Harris, who serves as mayor pro tem of Clinton and representative of its fifth district. “I think there’s enough low-income housing in this district and that’s part of the problem. And that’s not to say that those who live in low-income housing are bad people. I just think when there’s ownership, there’s a difference in how you treat things.”
Since August 2008, the City Council has purchased eight run-down properties on Lee, Williams and Barden streets at a cost of $160,000 with the goal of razing and redeveloping them, in the process making them more attractive and useful to nearby residents.
City manager John Connet has noted that three Barden Street properties will likely be used as park property — playground, recreation office space — acting as an extension of the Sampson Center.
He said the city was also looking to form a community development program through which low to moderate income housing can be offered in the city, notably at the city’s other purchased properties.
“We can’t just spend all our time removing houses, we need to start building them back,” Connet has noted. “The city doesn’t want to be in the land-owning business. We want to get this going and redevelop those properties.
That is still in the works, Connet said recently.
Along with the three Barden Street properties, the city currently owns two tracts of land on West Lee Street, as well as three on Williams Street. Connet said the Williams and Lee Street properties are the target area for residential development.
“We will look to redevelop (those properties) as single-family residential properties,” Connet said. “Not right away, but we will be looking for opportunities moving forward, a long-term partner to offer low to moderate housing opportunities.”
There are areas of need where such housing would be beneficial, including among the senior population, single-income households and families just starting out, the city manager said. It is a void in Clinton that needs to be filled, he said.
“There are houses out there that are $180,000 to $300,000,” Connet remarked. “What we’re looking to do is provide housing in the range of $80,000 to $150,000. There’s not many houses in Clinton between $80,000 and $150,000. We need more of that.”
Harris agrees, with both she and Connet adding that residents will be given a voice in the process.
“I would love to see some moderate housing, that would be a good use of those properties,” Harris attested. “I would really like to see that happen and I would support that 100 percent. We would definitely be working to make those decisions.”
And always with the input of affected residents, Harris noted.
“They know the needs of the district more than we do,” she said. “I truly believe we need to involve the people whose lives we are affecting.”
Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 121, or by email at sicrime@myclintonnc.com.
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