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Does Charlotte have wrong focus in building affordable housing?

Kayla Gibson
Supportive House Communities is closing on a deal to buy the St. John's Apartment Complex on St. John Church Road. The complex will be for people who have been homeless. Charlotte officials are working to build more affordable housing, and often focus on people earning 80 percent of the area’s median income. (Photo by ALEX KORMANN)

Supportive House Communities is closing on a deal to buy the St. John's Apartment Complex on St. John Church Road. The complex will be for people who have been homeless. Charlotte officials are working to build more affordable housing, and often focus on people earning 80 percent of the area’s median income. (Photo by ALEX KORMANN)

By Steve Harrison and Ely Portillo

Published: Sept.  15, 2017 02:55 PM, updated Sept.  15, 2017 05:27 PM

Has Charlotte’s strategy for building affordable housing been wrong?

For the second time in five years, a city-hired consultant has said the city’s biggest need is to help Charlotte’s poorest residents – not people like teachers and firefighters, who have received most of the city’s focus.

The consultant’s report touched off controversy among some housing advocates, as well as city officials, who said the two consultants’ findings were being misconstrued and shouldn’t be taken as a firm recommendation.

For more on this story, see The Charlotte Observer: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article173546946.html