Redevelopment Commission

History

Outlined in the 2019 Town of Rutherfordton Action Plan, housing is the Town's top priority. The Town aims to partner with local agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals to leverage our resources to achieve a far greater impact. Through our collaborative efforts we strive to achieve the following outcomes:

1. Expand access to safe and affordable housing;
2. Increase local employment opportunities;
3. Improve personal financial health and wellness; and
4. Stimulate local economic activity.

In October 2021, the Town reinforced their commitment to creating solutions for housing issues that impact our community by voting to form a Redevelopment Commission. This group is made up of community members that all have a passion for housing and making Rutherfordton a better place to live. This commission is tasked with creating a plan to improve the quality, quantity, and affordability of the housing stock in Rutherfordton. After their formation, the Redevelopment Commission held community meetings in various neighborhoods within Rutherfordton to identify an initial working area and begin crafting a comprehensive housing plan.

In order to craft a comprehensive housing plan, an analysis that examines the current housing conditions and identifies potentials strategies to remedy housing issues is needed. The Town of Rutherfordton contracted with Bowen National Research in early 2022 to conduct this micro-level analysis. Bowen National Research is a renown expert in housing and market analysis, and has conducted a similar housing analysis for the Dogwood Trust, which examined housing challenges within the Dogwood Footprint in Western North Carolina.  The analysis identifies housing needs, consolidates community input, and provides recommendations that will help the Town and community in accomplishing housing goals.

On August 17th, 2022, Patrick Bowen, founder of Bowen National Research, traveled to Rutherfordton to present the findings and recommendations of the 2022 Housing Needs Assessment. The file and recording of the presentation can be found below.

Our Goals

Our goal is to strengthen the physical, social, and economic fabric of our community and empower residents to take control of their own personal growth. We aim to listen and collaborate community voices to ensure the work we do reflects your goals in an equitable way.