[Durham INC] Regarding affordable housing in Durham-

[Melissa Rooney]

Hello Mayor Schewel, City Council Members, and cc’d Durham residents.

Please consider this before moving forward with affordable housing plans:

Durham’s current property tax relief programs only offer assistance to people who are 1) older than 65 or 2) disabled veterans, and then only if the *combined* family income is less than $30,200.00 (!). 

This seems to be aimed at attrition: once old and/or infirm residents die, their houses will be sold and gentrified; but there’s no help for those young enough to remain an active part of their communities for the foreseeable future.  

I know many people who are younger than 65 and have owned their Durham homes for 10 plus years but who may not be able to hold them much longer due to property re-evaluations and tax hikes.  We need to help these people stay where they are, rather than tax them out of their currently affordable homes, giving them little choice but to move into newly constructed ‘affordable housing’ that will not have the same diversity, services, environment and quality of life that they are finally enjoying in their historically lower-income neighborhoods right now. 

Here’s the link to Durham’s tax relief options: https://www.dconc.gov/government/departments-f-z/tax-administration/property-tax-relief-programs/property-tax-relief-for-homeowners

Please amend this situation and help lower income (income threshold should also be much higher) Durham residents who own their homes *right now* stay where they are *right now*. 

Sincerely, 
Melissa (Rooney)
Durham resident and homeowner since 2002
 
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush 😉. 


www.melissarooneywriting.com



> On Feb 19, 2019, at 9:12 PM, Steve Schewel <campaign at stevefordurham.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> State of the City Address
> Dear Friends, 
> 
> In my State of the City address last night, I laid out a vision for how we will go into Durham's 150th year working together to make the city we love a city for all. 
> 
> We are a welcoming city, a diverse city, and a prosperous city determined that our prosperity be shared, a city challenged to truly live up to our creed, to our belief that we can be a progressive beacon for the South and the nation.
> 
> You can watch my full address outlining the enormous strides we have made together over the past year and looking ahead to an ambitious agenda for our future. Click here to read the text version of my address.
>                                
> 
> We are at a pivotal moment for our city. We are challenged now more than ever before to live up to our belief that Durham can be a progressive beacon for the South and the nation. I look forward to continuing to work alongside you to make our vision for shared prosperity in Durham a reality. 
> 
> Yours,
> Steve Schewel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This email was sent to mmr121570 at yahoo.com 
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> Steve Schewel for Mayor · 2101 W Club Blvd · Durham, NC 27705 · USA 
> 
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