Affordable housing committee urges council to link conveyance tax to trust fund; council agrees to add item to next agenda

A member of Jamestown’s Affordable Housing Committee told the council on Jan. 6 that the committee wants the town to create a direct annual relationship between the real estate conveyance tax and annual funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

At open comment, speaker Robert (last name not provided) said linking conveyance tax receipts to annual Affordable Housing Trust Fund investment would create a consistent funding stream aimed at increasing economic diversity and bringing more families to the town. He referenced a recent community planning meeting in which affordable housing ranked as the top issue and cited survey results indicating roughly 73% of respondents supported more affordable housing. He asked the council to place the proposal on a future agenda for discussion.

Council members acknowledged the request; the council’s liaison to the Affordable Housing Committee said she would participate in next meeting discussion and asked staff to place an affordable housing report on the next council agenda.