Housing Savannah Inc. gathered local leaders to talk about housing. Here is what they said.

The state's planning and budget projects Chatham County's population will increase to 375,339 by 2060. That's about a 25% increase starting from 2022.

Given the area is already at a near 10,000-unit housing shortage, a central question facing local leaders is how to shrink the gap amid a booming population. Housing Savannah Inc., the nonprofit supporting Savannah's Affordable Housing Fund, gathered local leaders last week to discuss Chatham County's housing needs and potential solutions.

A panel of those leaders ― Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce President Bert Brantley, Savannah Housing Authority Deputy Director Kenneth Clark, Chatham County Manager Michael Kaigler, Savannah City Manager Jay Melder, and Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Christopher Nunn ― dished on affordability, density and developers.

Ideas for solutions were wide-ranging, but almost all focused on a central theme: how to increase supply.

Kaigler was asked how he would increase housing supply and said he would target zoning and land-use to allow for greater diversity in housing types, particularly adding those with greater density. “We need to move to more townhomes, more multifamily dwellings, because that affects affordability also.”

The chamber's Brantley said the need for workforce housing has become so important that it has even shifted the “political winds.” The shift shows that those who work as teachers and first responders are at the center of the housing crunch, Brantley said. "Our employers, our members, they want their employees to be able to live as close as possible."

When it comes to legislative solutions, Savannah Housing Authority Deputy Director Kenneth Clark said he would start assessing legislation by asking two questions: does it reduce costs and does it reduce time? Legislation that checks both boxes should be prioritized, Clark said.

The City of Savannah made housing one of its priorities in its 2024 state legislative wish list. One item it included was supporting a measure to waive impact fees for workforce housing projects. Melder, much like Kaigler, said greater density and diversity of housing types are needed in Savannah.

"We cannot be scared of density in an urban area," Melder said.

Melder addressed during the panel some of the challenges with support for greater density developments, which have frequently received some pushback from neighbors nearby them. However, Melder said there is an opportunity to come together as a community to address the city’s housing needs. “We have an opportunity as a community to shape the kind of development we want to see.”

Nunn lauded Savannah’s creation of an affordable housing fund, which is a method used by other communities in Georgia such as Macon and Atlanta. "I think it gives you some flexibility that many communities, many rural communities, would give their left arm to have that support."

Next steps

When Housing Savannah's Executive Director Laura Lane McKinnon was planning the 'No Place Like Home' summit, she did not expect an at-capacity turnout. But the summit filled all its registration spots and had nearly 300 in attendance.

That included about 120 "housing practitioners," ranging from architects and engineers to developers and Realtors.

"What it tells me is that we've got [people] hungry for action and eager to participate," McKinnon said.

Beyond gathering a host of top local leaders, the summit also brought in Edward Erfurt from nonprofit Strong Towns for a keynote address. Erfurt laid out a process for building strong towns, which begins with "humbly assessing" a community struggle, then identifying and implementing the "next smallest thing" that could be done to address it.

For building more affordable housing, that looks like moving forward with opportunities in the community that could be done by right, or what is already allowed under the existing zoning laws.

Jason Combs, president of Thomas Square Neighborhood Association who ran a pro-housing city council campaign last year, said having Erfurt and Strong Towns for the event was a great addition. "This is a starting point; I can't wait to see where this goes."

The next challenge for Housing Savannah Inc. is to continue developing engagement and interest. The group plans to keep convening leaders including a "lunch and learn" just for elected officials, a small group with developers and builders, and other "working groups," like those held at the summit.

McKinnon encouraged community members to continue supporting the affordable housing fund no matter how large or small the donation, because monetary investment is crucial to tackling the issue.

"It is going to take all of that to move the needle," McKinnon said.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Housing Savannah Inc. gathered local leaders to talk about housing.