Charlotte investor seeks to build affordable housing duplex under new UDO

June 2, 2023

by Jane Monreal, WCNC-Charlotte

The owners of multiple single-family homes in the McCrorey Heights neighborhood of Charlotte rent them out as affordable housing.

Lakita Holland and her husband, George, said they have a similar vision for a vacant lot in North Lake. The lot, currently zoned to build a single-family home, is located within a block of other single-family homes, apartments and duplexes.

In March of 2023, the Hollands filed a petition to rezone their land so they can build a duplex.

“It’s like, OK, we can get two families in here versus one. And so that’s always been our goal is to have properties and housing where we can offer to more than one family at a time,” said Lakita Holland.

Part of the UDO’s aim is to add much-needed housing options in the rapidly growing city.

“My vision for it is something different from someone who does it and then sells it and they’re just looking to make mad money from it,” said Holland. “My vision for it is like, ‘OK where is the next family that needs an affordable home?’ That’s my vision for it.”

Holland said they already submitted their plans for the duplex to the city. Even their builder was ready to get started.

“It’s not us. It’s not them. It’s just that whole zoning thing,” Holland said.

Holland, who said she’s familiar with homelessness, said the location in the middle of mixed subdivisions, makes it the perfect place to build a duplex that’s modern yet affordable.

“We would bring those areas together because I’m telling you, we are right in the middle of them both,” Holland said. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all.”

Charlotte City Planner, Alyson Craig, told WCNC Charlotte their department is asking that people applying for permits to be a little patient.

Craig explained that, in addition to administering the new document, by state statute, the department has to allow for projects that were submitted before June 1 to choose which set of regulations to go under, complicating the review process.

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative is supported by the Local Media Project, an initiative launched by the Solutions Journalism Network with support from the Knight Foundation to strengthen and reinvigorate local media ecosystems.

About The Project

Solutions Journalism Network launched the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative in 2019, a partnership of six major media companies and other local institutions focusing on issues of major importance to the Charlotte region. The collaborative is supported by $150,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as part of its $300 million commitment to rebuild the future of local journalism, essential to a functioning democracy.

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC) is modeled on the Solutions Journalism Network method of investigating and reporting news with a primary focus on solutions to community problems. “At a time when local journalism jobs are disappearing and trust in media has hit an all-time low, the Solutions Journalism Network has taken on the challenge by organizing collaborative journalism reporting projects that promote excellent reporting and civic dialogue. the model has the potential to be part of a new wave of great local reporting, which is vital to building strong communities,” said Karen Rundlet, Knight Foundation director for journalism.

Charlotte investor seeks to build affordable housing duplex under new UDO

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