Habitat's Toddville Duplex Made Possible by Charlotte's UDO
Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region was an early supporter of the City of Charlotte’s new 2040 Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). According to the City of Charlotte’s UDO webpage, the ordinance governs urban growth and ensures goals related to housing, transportation, and land use are met. The UDO covers a broad range of topics, including zoning, affordable housing, parking, the environment, public open space, transportation, and drainage. Recently, Habitat Charlotte Region celebrated its first project made possible by the new zoning regulations outlined in the UDO.
Charlotte having a UDO is significant, but what makes the passage of this new one so special? The new UDO now allows for duplexes, triplexes, and, in some areas, quadraplexes to be built in residential neighborhoods that were previously zoned exclusively for single-family-detached homes. Why is this important? The addition of single-family-attached homes supports light density development, increasing the overall housing supply and potentially lowering costs. In turn, these policies promote greater capacity and innovation in residential neighborhoods, which are crucial to increasing affordable homeownership and diversifying the community’s housing stock.
Thanks to these new zoning allowances, Habitat Charlotte Region continues to pursue its vision of “a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” even as affordable land becomes limited. Now, Habitat Charlotte Region can develop in previously out-of-reach neighborhoods, as added density makes it possible to spread high land and development costs across multiple homes, ultimately increasing affordability. According to Jennifer Morell, the Director of Land Acquisition & Development at Habitat Charlotte Region, “The UDO has put the community’s vision of accessible, affordable housing and increasing the amount of middle housing into action.”
In June, community members, leaders, elected officials, and housing advocates gathered in the Toddville neighborhood to celebrate Habitat Charlotte Region’s first project made possible by the UDO. With the new homeowner present, supporters shared stories of the hard work, dedication, and gratitude that brought the duplex to life.
Without the UDO’s passage, projects like these would not be possible. The land would likely have been sold to a private developer, and the home sold at market price.
In addition to the Toddville duplex Habitat Charlotte Region is currently working on a development called Legacy Vista. This project is located behind the duplex and will include a combination of single-family homes and additional duplexes.
Welcoming Habitat homeowners into these neighborhoods is expected to have lasting benefits for community stability throughout the service area. This inspires us to continue advocating for policies that support affordable and equitable homeownership. Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region encourages all community members to stay informed on local and statewide policies, and they look forward to continued progress through the UDO in Charlotte.
The following links provide additional information on the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance and Habitat’s recent Toddville home celebration:
https://www.charlottenc.gov/City-News/UDO-Helps-Deliver-New-Affordable-Duplex-in-West-Charlotte