The Community Home Trust and the Town of Chapel Hill: An Analysis of the Town’s Responsibility to Ensure the Sustainability of its Inclusionary Zoning Program

As more and more Americans struggle to pay for adequate housing each year, the need for housing policy that creates more affordable options increases. This report begins by explaining the growing need for affordable housing options throughout the United States with an in-depth focus on the Town of Chapel Hill. It then describes how Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) programs have been adopted and implemented in certain communities to increase the availability of affordable homeownership. Specifically, it examines the IZ ordinance passed by the Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and its implementation by the Community Home Trust, the community land trust responsible for administering the IZ ordinance in Chapel Hill. This analysis reveals the current issues faced by the Town and the Community Home Trust in its efforts to implement the IZ policy and ensure the future supply of affordable homeownership options. In addition, this report stresses the importance of increased municipal support in continuing the organizations work, outlining “best practice” research that should be adopted by the Town of Chapel Hill. Finally, this report proposes policy recommendations to the Town’s IZ program and argues for increasing the municipality’s role in ensuring the sustainability of the Community Home Trust.Master of City and Regional Plannin