equity, diversity & inclusion
AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY
For over 50 years, the Town has remained committed to affordable housing. We built our first public housing neighborhood in 1967 and now own and manage 296 public housing units for low-income residents. We continue to innovate and collaborate to invest in affordable places to live in Chapel Hill.
In addition to public housing, there are another 1,000 units of subsidized affordable housing in our community. Since 2008, the Town has awarded $4.67 million to preserve 452 units and support the development of over 200 units of affordable housing. In 2014, the Town Council began dedicating a penny on the tax rate for affordable housing initiatives. More recently, the Chapel Hill community passed a $10 million bond referendum to pay for 400 new affordable housing units and to preserve 300 existing units by 2023.
Staff: Housing and Community Connections
BUILDING INTEGRATED COMMUNITIES
In 2017, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) selected the Town of Chapel Hill to participate in the Building Integrated Communities (BIC) initiative. BIC is a collaboration between the Town of Chapel Hill, community residents and organization leaders, and UNC.
The initiative aims to understand the experiences of immigrant and refugee residents and develop recommendations supporting the integration, well-being, and leadership development of immigrant and refugee community members. The goal of the initiative is to make Chapel Hill an even more welcoming place for new residents from other parts of the world.
Staff: Housing and Community Connections
Living Wage
Building on the Town’s Living Wage policy for full-time employees, in 2016 the Council took this commitment one step further by resolving to pay a living wage to all Town employees. The Town is also recognized as an Orange County living-wage-certified employer.
Staff: Business Management
Chapel Hill Youth Council
The Chapel Hill Youth Council’s mission is to shape the future of Chapel Hill by amplifying the views and opinions of youth, influencing local decision making, and developing community-oriented service projects and social activities. Participation is open to all high school aged students.
Staff: Parks & Recreation
Ombuds Program
The Town Ombuds Office provides a safe place for all employees and community members to share their concerns and explore strategies for confidential, informal management or resolution of issues. The Office also collaborates with other staff and provides facilitation services for Town meetings.
Staff: Ombuds Office