Today’s headlines: Why are developers passing on low-income housing incentive?

Nearly three years ago, the Charlotte City Council approved this interesting little thing called an affordable housing “density bonus” for developers.

Basically, if a developer wanted to build in an area where the median home value is greater than $153,000, it could build extra units if it included some apartments or homes for low-income residents.

Sounds simple enough: Developers get more units, and low-income residents are able to afford places in some of the nicer parts of the city — almost all areas outside I-485 and south Charlotte between South Boulevard and Monroe Road, to be specific.

One problem: Not a single developer has participated in the program.

Why? It’s not totally clear, but Steve Harrison shared some ideas recently in the Observer.

(1) It’s not all that hard to get land rezoned for more units. Example: Park and Sharon had been rezoned for three units per acre and council approved a rezoning — despite opposition — to allow nearly 12 units per acre.

Another example: Cherry, where council rejected a large rezoning request before eventually approving it after the developer lowered the height of a building by 6 feet.

(2) Republican council member Kenny Smith said he thinks land is so expensive in those affluent areas that the bonus isn’t worth it. In an area zoned for eight residential units per acre, a developer could receive two extra units.

So what now? Mayor Dan Clodfelter said the city should “revisit” the program. We’ll see what happens.

LITTLE HELP FROM LABOR: The first of a four-part series from the Raleigh News & Observer published over the weekend, shining a light on the NC Department of Labor and the apparent lack of help it’s giving to unpaid workers.

When workers aren’t paid, the Labor Department is supposed to step in and try to make it right. But, according to this investigation, the Labor Department isn’t pushing companies all that hard.

Part two was published yesterday: “Taxpayer-supported companies fail to pay workers, with impunity.”

RAIN-DELAYED RACE: Joey Logano won Sunday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, meaning he moves through to the third round of the NASCAR Chase playoffs. The race was scheduled for Saturday night, but that lovely rain we got pushed it back a day.

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY: Find out what’s open and closed today here.

Photos: Observer file photo; Chuck Liddy/News & Observer; Davie Hinshaw/Charlotte Observer

This story was originally published October 11, 2015 at 9:31 PM with the headline "Today’s headlines: Why are developers passing on low-income housing incentive?."