INTENT

Presently there are 276 units in the affordable housing program at Somerset Pointe Apartments consisting of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. They are operated under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

The existing single family and mobile home affordable housing should be preserved to complete the housing mix in the Sector Plan.

GOAL

To preserve existing affordable housing and to assure that the desired minimum of 10% affordable housing within the Sector, which this plan would achieve, continues to be observed.

HOUSING-POLICY 1: The owner/occupied existing affordable single family housing, and existing mobile home affordable housing should be retained if at all possible.

Resident (both owners and renters) income levels for these areas must be taken into consideration in relation to County real estate taxes and housing balance.

ACTION STRATEGIES:

1. Educate and encourage existing low income and disabled residents to access County property tax relief. Such education should be carried out through an appropriate County sponsored outreach program.

2. If state law does not allow this strategy to be implemented, then a revision of state law that would permit it should be pursued.

   Provide tax relief for qualifying long-term property owners whose assessments increase due to nearby development. Real Estate tax assessments of affordable housing properties, including the mobile home park(s) shall be limited to the county-wide cost of living rate of increase. In order to protect these uses, subsequent conversion of property to non-residential commercial use shall result in 100% recapture of real estate taxes to the commercial rate for the prior ten years, or to the date of adoption of the Sector Plan, whichever term is greater. This relief shall be passed on to the residents of the existing mobile home park by:

   1. keeping the rent of the lots at a reasonable rate;
   2. helping to maintain the Park's open space in an attractive and neat manner;
   3. providing additional open space areas within the Park that are not required by ordinances and normal park development;
   4. requiring evergreen buffers along the parameter of the Park especially those areas that can be viewed from Rt. 29 to protect residents from noise and light and air pollution, and act as privacy screening.

3. Residential project planning, design, and development will take into consideration the needs of the elderly and special populations including the handicapped and disabled.