Work continued Thursday on the update to James City County’s comprehensive plan, with members of the planning commission focusing the discussion on housing for an increasingly old population and the need for more affordable housing.
County staff and the commission have been working for months to update the plan, which serves as a guiding document for the county and outlines goals and objectives for the next 20 years. As part of the update, county staff has recommended inserting a goal of promoting more affordable senior housing options and to seek grant funding to construct it.
“Six years from now we could be looking at a real problem if we’re not proactive,” said Commissioner Robin Bledsoe (Jamestown).
The percentage of James City County’s population age 65 or older has steadily increased in recent years, climbing from 12 percent in 1990 to 21.7 percent in 2012, according to U.S. Census figures contained in the demographics portion of the draft update of the comprehensive plan. Projections in that section of the plan show residents 65 or older representing the largest segment of the population in the county by 2020.
Some of that population lives in older homes that are at or near the end of their effective lives, said Vaughn Poller, the county’s director of housing and community development. Funding has been set aside for a study into the size of that population within the county.
Still, much of the housing in the county has a long life left. Less than 10 percent of the county’s housing stock was built before 1969, leaving James City County far ahead of Williamsburg and York County, which have 17 and 36 percent of their housing from before that year, respectively. It also positions the county ahead of Hampton Roads and the state, which are at 35 and 33 percent, respectively.
The existing housing stock in James City County is also more expensive than in surrounding areas. The median house value in the county is $334,100, which is the highest in the area. Median rent in the county is $1,107 per month, which is slightly higher than Williamsbug and slightly lower than York County.
To ensure affordable housing exists in the county, the draft update of the comprehensive plan includes language requiring an increase of availability for affordable and workforce housing. While neighborhoods like Forest Heights and Neighbors Drive offer some affordable housing, 36 percent of the county’s population still lives in housing that is not affordable for their income levels, according to the draft update.
Commissioner Tim O’Connor (At-large) said there is a disconnect between the call for more affordable housing and the rules binding housing development in the county’s ordinance. Requirements for stormwater management and recreation areas are enshrined in the ordinance, but someone must pay for their upkeep — typically that is a homeowner’s association, which adds to the cost of living somewhere.
Poller said county staff has been “creative” in trying to keep those costs low for affordable developments and that housing funds in the county’s budget have been able to help cover them in some neighborhoods, like Toano Trace.
The commissioners agreed to add an action item to the housing section asking for an examination of the county’s housing policy to ensure it is well-equipped to deal with the situation on the ground. Their additions are subject to final approval by the James City County Board of Supervisors, which has the final say over the comprehensive plan.
The lone public speaker at Thursday’s hearing, Williamsburg resident James Ramage, echoed the need for more affordable housing.
“A lot of people affected by this issue are on minimum wage,” Ramage said. “If they’re lucky enough to find an apartment they can get for $650 a month and pay taxes and utilities, it looks like they have about $35 a day to live on — to eat, for transportation and any other living expenses.”
During community workshops to solicit feedback from citizens about housing needs, “many participants expressed desire for more affordable residential housing, including rental units that would attract and accommodate a range of demographic populations and changing preferences,” according to the housing section in the draft update.
That notion conflicts with the results of the 2014 Virginia Tech Citizen Survey, which found 73 percent of respondents in the county said they either “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” that development is happening too quickly.
According to the draft update’s analysis of the survey results, one side of the population shows support for more residential development that is affordable and in proximity to jobs and services while another side opposes any new residential development while expressing the need for development to be managed to preserve the character of the community.
That survey also found that 63 percent of respondents want neighborhoods where there is a mix of low-, middle- and high-income housing.
The commissioners will next consider the draft update of the land use and economic development portion of the comprehensive plan at an Oct. 2 meeting. The language of that section of the draft update has not yet been released.