Wilmington City Council voted Thursday to establish a housing trust to address the city’s affordable housing shortage.
Councilmember Shané Darby brought the ordinance to Council, which led to the creation of the trust and a community-based oversight board.
Darby’s ordinance grew out of a conversation with New Castle County Councilmember Penrose Hollins, who has spent years prioritizing housing in his legislative work.
“At the budget address, the mayor proposed a housing affordability plan,” Darby said. “We weren't included in that process… When we're talking about affordable housing, it will have to go through this trust. So, it's also, I think, a barrier to protect us from what happened in this budget.”
Hollins suggested Darby try to create a housing trust and pave the way for inclusionary zoning.
Funds for the trust will come from the city’s General Budget, according to Darby.
“So we have a community advisory board, we have the mayor who's appointing the majority of it, so it allows for the administration community,” Darby said. “And then it also allows for City Council to finally have a voice and say in how we implement and talk about affordable housing in the city.”
Darby said historically, the mayor has put committees together, and she wants to ensure the creation of this group is led by the mayor and Councilmembers.
Board members will come together and put recommendations together on how to spend the trust’s funds, which could go toward a rental program, homeowner program or eviction prevention.
Darby said she sees the trust as a long-term solution, not one that will have millions of dollars to leverage on day one.
Rather, she wants whatever funds are moved into the trust to work in tandem with inclusionary zoning efforts, like legislation she has coming up in the future.
Several public commenters spoke in favor of the ordinance, which passed Thursday 7-2 with four absent.
Council members Latisha Bracey and Zanthia Oliver were the two votes against.
