Caldwell County Housing Plan and “Our State, Our Homes” Initiative

Caldwell County Economic Development, in collaboration with the City of Lenoir and the Western Piedmont Council of Government, has published a comprehensive Housing Plan for Caldwell County.

The Plan synthesizes input from a wide range of stakeholders, including builders, developers, planners, businesses, homeowners, renters, and prospective residents. It also highlights demographic and other data that show the strengths and ways to address housing needs that are present in the county.

It highlights Caldwell’s leverageable position in terms of geography, workforce, and affordability. Notably, this area is highlighted as being well below the national average for affordability. The county is also positioned as a much more affordable place to live than the surrounding markets.

The Plan also includes survey data that illustrates the wants and needs of stakeholders in the housing market. Most importantly, this plan provides a path forward to continue to grow and meet the housing needs of our citizens and potential residents.

An important theme in the plan is the desire for additional multi-family housing, accomplished through strategies such as addressing the “missing-middle” (duplexes, triplexes, etc.) in housing availability and through more tight-knit neighborhoods. The Plan is available to the public at caldwelledc.org.

Additionally, in collaboration with the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Caldwell County Economic Development is participating in an Initiative of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill called the “Carolina Across 100” program, “Our State, Our Homes project.” This program is a partnership between the Initiative, the School, and 14 teams across North Carolina to address affordable housing needs and achieve economic growth and household prosperity.

“As this 18-month program progresses, we will work to develop capacity, analyze challenges, and implement strategies to address affordable housing and related issues in Caldwell County,” said Caldwell County Economic Development Director Ashley Bolick.

More information about this program is available at carolinaacross100.unc.edu.