By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — With about 17 housing projects in the pipeline, the city expects to see 500 units available to residents in 2022.

The city of Salisbury’s Development Services Department says 17 housing projects are in various states of approval. That includes about 160 affordable housing units confirmed to be ready for residents next year and the potential for another 70. About 270 market-rate units will be available next year, with the potential for nearly 700 more, according to city staff.

The outlook past 2022 could include 1,600 additional housing units, which would be a mix of low-income and market-rate housing.

The two low-income apartment developments available to tenants next year include Westbrook Trace off of Lash Drive, which will provide 84 units, and Britton Village on Statesville Boulevard, which is complete and offers 80 units. Construction is ongoing at Westbrook Trace, but Planning Director Hannah Jacobson told the Post both have been successfully awarded subsidies to provide affordable housing.

Developers looking to create affordable housing must be approved for federal subsidies such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, which allocates funding to state housing agencies. Tax credits are highly competitive because the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency assesses how well developers’ projects satisfy the state’s housing needs. The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency reports only one in four proposals receive a form of federal funding for affordable housing projects.

While state agencies establish their own affording housing priorities, projects receiving the tax credits must remain affordable for people earning no more than 60% of the area’s median income, which was just short of $42,000 per year as of 2019. Sixty percent of that is about $25,000. Rent charged cannot exceed 30% of the tenant’s qualifying income.

It’s possible one other affordable housing development will be built. That project, called Brightleaf Terrace, received subsidies in 2020 to provide 72 affordable housing units on Statesville Boulevard. Salisbury Development Services Manager Teresa Barringer told the Post the development is pending construction review and approval from city staff.

A number of developments will be ready for tenants in 2022 at market rate. Ashton Manor, located on Sunset Drive across from Alexander Station Apartments and Crown Point Luxury Apartment Homes, will provide a mix of around 110 single-family detached homes and townhomes. The project dates back to 2002, but construction was dormant until this year.

Greystone Village on Amberlight Circle is another project dormant and now available for residents. It was first approved in 2008 with revisions approved in 2018. Greystone Village offers around 100 single-family homes at market rate.

A dozen townhomes along West Cemetery Street are expected to be put on the market in 2022. Jeff Royal of Harrisburg-based Realty Point is listed as the Realtor for those properties, which hover around $235,000.

Similarly, 40 townhomes along Kincaid Road will be available at market rate for 2022.

A number of projects may become available in 2022 to provide additional housing at market rate, but they are pending construction review and approval, Barringer said. The biggest project is Grants Landing near the corner of Mooresville and Rowan Mill roads. Justin Mueller of Sherwood Development Group is working with Bloc Design on the project, which would provide 236 single-family homes, currently estimated to fall between $200,000 and the upper $300,000s.

Construction of the first three phases of Shay Crossing on Earnhardt Road is underway and likely to provide 150 single-family homes as soon as next year. Earlier this year, the city approved the fourth phase of the project, which will eventually add more than 200 additional homes. True Homes, LLC, a home builder based in Monroe, is constructing the development.

Rowan Woodland is another development that could be ready for occupancy next year. That project adds 240 campus-style apartments on the 2700 block of Statesville Boulevard and is being developed by Cary-based Preston Development Company.

Local developer Josh Barnhardt of Iron Horse Development is working with local architect Pete Bogle to transform a historic building at 121 W. Council St. into 12 apartment units that could be available in 2022, to be called “The Salisbury.”

Another local developer, Bill Greene, is working to create eight apartments on the upper floors of the Bell Block Building, located at the corner of South Main and West Fisher streets where Thread Shed Uniforms is located. That project could also be ready for tenants in 2022.

Barringer said it’s unknown when phase two of The Grand on Julian will be complete because construction plans have not been submitted. The Salisbury Planning Board approved that project in November, and the City Council signed off earlier this month. The second phase would add 212 multi-family apartment units to the existing complex on Julian Road located behind the Rowan Rescue Squad Station.

A few additional affordable housing projects have been approved, but they won’t be ready for occupancy in 2022. The Salisbury Oaks development to be located between Jake Alexander Boulevard West and South Main Street near Rosemont Street was approved in March and is aiming to provide 84 units of affordable, multi-family campus-style apartments. Similarly, Tenby Crossing Apartments, to be located between Jake Alexander Boulevard West, Brenner Avenue and Milford Hills Road, is undergoing the same process to also provide 84 affordable housing units. Jacobson said both applied for housing tax credits from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency last year but weren’t approved.

Both developments have gone through the rezoning process that’s required before again applying for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, Jacobson said. Virginia-based Halcon Development is the developer working on Salisbury Oaks. North Carolina-based Kent Place Holdings is developing Tenby Crossing Apartments.

Apart from the housing tax credits, developers can also apply for low-interest loans and tax-exempt bond allocations from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Such is the case for Ford City Motor Lofts, which was approved by City Council members last month and will provide 64 intergenerational affordable housing units by 2023. It will be located at 419 S. Main St. where City Consignment Co. currently sits. Council members approved a resolution of support for the project, along with preliminary issuance on bonds on behalf of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.