Wake County breaks ground on affordable housing units in Garner

Wake County is breaking ground on more affordable housing Friday morning.

176 units will be built at Tryon Station on Creech Road in Garner. These units are for working families who live in Garner and the surrounding areas.

It's a project that nearly didn't happen without the help of Wake County and the town of Garner stepping in to provide gap financing after developers said construction costs and interest rates almost forced them to shelve the project.

The county is investing $6.6 million alongside Garner with an additional $750,000. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete.

"This is our first opportunity to actually partner with the town of Garner in financing a development," Mark Perlman said. "There's a need for affordable housing county-wide, especially this close to the Raleigh border where there's a lot of growth happening."

Perlman is the division director of equitable housing and community development with Wake County.

This growth is welcomed by neighbors like Booker Pullium. His home is sandwiched between two new developments.

His only concern is the increased traffic that could come with new developments.

"The apartments in Raleigh, Garner are very expensive," he said. "To provide affordable housing -- it's a wonderful idea. I just hope that everything is balanced, such that when you bring in progress, you also help to minimize the impact that it has on existing communities.

The project is one of many surrounding Pullium's home just off Creech.

A slight inconvenience for what others say is needed now more than ever. County leaders said a report found there is a deficit of 65,000 affordable housing units in Wake County.

"We have 176 units. It's a lot," Perlman said. "It's making progress, but I think the takeaway is that every single unit that we can create or preserve counts towards meeting, reaching that goal."

The project is part of the $11 million affordable housing plan signed off by Wake County commissioners in April. 461 units are expected to be built for seniors and families across Raleigh, Cary, Garner and Zebulon.

"This creates places for working people in Wake County to live, it creates housing opportunities that the market has not been able to create on its own," Perlman said.