AGENDA DATE: 8/5/2026
TITLE:
Title
Housing Albemarle Policy Review
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Review progress made on Housing Albemarle policy objectives, identify next steps, and consider proposal for a housing advisory committee
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Dimock, Herrick, Curfman, Sumner, Pethia, Svoboda, Matheny
PRESENTER (S): Dimock, Sumner, Pethia, Svoboda, Matheny, Shifflett
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: On July 7, 2021, the Board of Supervisors adopted Housing Albemarle to serve as a policy framework for the county’s affordable housing activities. Housing Albemarle established twelve primary objectives:
1) Increase the supply of housing to meet the diverse housing needs of current and future Albemarle County residents,
2) Increase the supply of long-term affordable and workforce rental housing,
3) Improve access to affordable and workforce homeownership opportunities and promote long-term affordability of for-sale housing,
4) Preserve and maintain the county’s aging housing stock, and existing communities,
5) Develop & implement an Affordable Dwelling Unit Program,
6) Establish a Housing Trust Fund,
7) Establish a standing housing advisory committee,
8) Reduce regulatory barriers to affordable and workforce housing production,
9) Promote access to safe, stable, and healthy housing regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, disability status, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status,
10) Work to end and prevent homelessness,
11) Enable Albemarle residents to age in the community, and
12) Promote healthy, sustainable communities and housing.
Housing Albemarle included six priority actions:
1) Explore options with county owned land to develop a permanent affordable housing community,
2) Provide incentives to increase production of affordable rental and for-sale housing,
3) Develop an affordable dwelling unit program structure and guidelines,
4) Develop and implement a sustainable housing trust fund for adoption by the Board of Supervisors,
5) Establish a standing housing advisory committee, and
6) In partnership with public, private, and nonprofits partners, expand permanent supportive housing opportunities for chronically homeless households.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Plan Goal 4.3: Quality of Life: Implement Housing Albemarle
DISCUSSION: Housing Albemarle served as the County’s policy response to a regional housing needs assessment, in 2019, that identified the need for 10,070 additional units of affordable housing to meet the expected demand in Albemarle County by 2040. Since that time, 5,439 units of affordable housing have been preserved, created, or proffered, meeting over 50% of the target, with the need for 4,631 units. During this same period, Albemarle County committed $46,389,627 in funding to support affordable housing activities including the Affordable Housing Investment Fund, housing programs funded by the Human Services Funding Process, staffing costs of the Office of Housing that are not covered by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, emergency eviction prevention assistance, and tax relief for the disabled and elderly. In addition, the County has:
- established policy expectations for developers with zoning requests that 20% of proposed units would meet affordable definitions and would remain affordable for an extended period of time,
- created an Affordable Housing Investment Fund with competitive awards process on May 21, 2025,
- approved an Employee Assisted Housing Program on June 17, 2026,
- expanded tax relief program guidelines nearly every year to broaden eligibility,
- established a workgroup to identify and determine best use for county-owned land,
- significantly invested in permanent supportive housing, and,
- established a financial incentive program for the development of rental units, ARHIP.
These steps represent substantial progress in meeting the objectives contained in Housing Albemarle. Staff seek guidance on three remaining strategies:
1) the proposed constitution and charter of a Housing Advisory Committee,
2) Board feedback on proposed changes to permitting fees and review time for projects proposing significant proportion of affordable units, and,
3) guidance on whether to pursue tap fees as an incentive for affordable housing developers.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no direct impact to budget proposed, however Board of Supervisor guidance could result in activities with budget impacts.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommend approval of the proposed charter for a Housing Advisory Committee in addition to providing feedback on the use of tap fees, expedited review, and reduced permitting fees as incentives for developers to propose projects that provide more than 20% affordable units.
ATTACHMENTS:
Att. A Housing Albemarle
Att. B Proposed charter for Housing Advisory Committee