Fair gives housing options

Affordable housing advocates want to remind area residents that home ownership, perhaps the most effective wealth-building tool, is not limited to those who can afford a $400,000 house.

In honor of Fair Housing Month, Saturday’s “Fair and Affordable Housing Fair,” hosted by the Orange County Human Rights and Relations Department, offered prospective homeowners a chance to discover some of the county’s many opportunities for bringing home ownership within reach.

But the University Mall event also highlighted the ongoing dilemma of how to meet the growing competition for affordable housing.

“There is a lot of misunderstanding about the benefits of home ownership,” said human rights and relations director Milan Pham, adding that owning a home can often be the key to lifting a person out of poverty.

The fair, the first of its kind, aimed to debunk the myth that only the most impoverished families can qualify for affordable housing.

In fact, individuals earning up to $40,000 might be able qualify for a low-cost home, which Pham said could help provide housing for police officers, firefighters and teachers, who often commute from areas where housing costs are lower.

“These people are our first responders; what does that say about us?” Pham said of the dearth of police officers living in Orange County.

For years, the stock of low-cost housing in Chapel Hill has been diminishing. Habitat for Humanity of Orange County consistently has to turn away qualified applicants.

In 2003, homes valued under $120,000 accounted for only 13 percent of all market sales, according to the 2004 Chapel Hill Databook.

Homes priced above $250,000 represent the area’s fastest-growing market segment, the book states.

Coupled with rising rental rates, the lack of low-cost housing has residents increasingly looking to nonprofits for assistance in finding suitable places to live.

“(Rental) payments are so high that it is very difficult for people of modest means to afford a house,” Chapel Hill resident Vanessa Lynch said.

Bob and Vanessa Lynch were two of the many potential homebuyers who came to the fair to see what nonprofits like the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, Habitat and Empowerment Inc. have to offer.

Before the event, they said, they were unaware of many of the opportunities available for help with home ownership.

The trust offers reduced-cost housing for families earning less than 80 percent of the area’s median income: $57,050 for a family of four. All three organizations offer classes designed to prepare families for home ownership, emphasizing the importance of managing credit.

Elizabeth Waugh-Stewart, director of financial and housing programs at The Women’s Center, said high interest rates can often take the form of housing discrimination.

Though practices have improved over the years, she said low-income, minority families are still more likely to face higher interest rates and hidden fees.

And while understanding and managing credit might seem like a daunting task, she said doing so is a powerful step toward building wealth — especially for women, who are disproportionately employed in low-wage jobs.

“Earning 78 cents to the men’s dollar makes it difficult to achieve home ownership,” she said.

The fair also provided information on how to identify and report housing discrimination.

Pham’s department has already received 15 complaints this year of housing discrimination — many on the basis of national origin.

Despite its reputation for progressive policies, Pham said, the area must take steps to eliminate internalized racism. “We have to become comfortable living together.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.