SPENCER — The town has agreed to participate in a University of North Carolina program called “Our State, Our Homes,” aimed at understanding and addressing access to and availability of affordable housing.

At Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, Town Planner Kyle Harris outlined the program for the board, noting that he is coordinating a local group of several organizations, including Salisbury and Salisbury Community Development, and the group as a whole will submit an application to participate. Applications must be submitted by Nov. 22.

The goal of the program is to help build local “cross sector collaboratives” that will look at existing assets and activities, work on increasing not only the existence and availability of affordable housing but the quality of homes, and how to meet and work around or overcome the barriers to housing needs, especially for vulnerable populations.

Harris will serve as project manager, but if the group including Spencer is selected to participate, either Town Manager Peter Franzese or his designee will have to attend five forums in Chapel Hill over 2025-26. Teams will be selected mid-December for the 18-month program.

While the town will not receive any direct funding for participation, the initial cost of the project would be covered by a $5,000 stipend for the project manager, $5,000 toward the implementation of a pilot project, and up to $7,000 for reimbursement of any travel expenses for members of the core team.

In a resolution supporting Harris’ efforts and the town’s participation, Mayor Jonathan Williams said “Spencer has a longstanding commitment to affordable housing. Spencer’s annual strategic plans have consistently identified affordable housing as a key priority, and Spencer’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan recognizes the importance of maintaining affordable housing choices for residents.”

Spencer does have prior experience with cross-sector collaboratives and has worked with the Salisbury Community Development Corporation in the past, and the town has long recognized, noted Williams, that affordable housing is a crucial issue for some populations.

The board approved the application for participation and has a “modest amount of Community Development Block Grant – Neighborhood Revitalization administrative funding” available to use toward participation in the program.