Greensboro continues to grow, albeit at a much slower rate than other major cities in North Carolina, according to the annual Growth and Development Trends report recently released by the Greensboro Planning Department.
According to the report, Greensboro’s population is 299,035 and, from 2011 to 2021, the population grew by 10.6 percent, which is higher than the state average of 10.1 percent but much lower than Durham, which grew 24.1 percent and Raleigh, which grew 17 percent during the same period.
Greensboro is the most racially diverse major city in the state with a white population of 43.6 and a non-white population of 56.4. Winston-Salem by comparison is 52.9 percent white and 47.2 percent non-white and Raleigh is 56.1 percent white and 43.9 percent non-white.
Greensboro also has a younger population than Winston-Salem and Durham, but slightly older than Raleigh. In Greensboro the median age is 34.5 while in Winston-Salem the median age is 35.9, in Durham 34.6 and in Raleigh 34.2.
The Greensboro City Council frequently discusses the housing shortage in Greensboro, but those discussions have not resulted in more residential building. From 2021 to 2022, there was a 21 percent decrease in the number of residential building permits issued. In 2021, 3,546 residential building permits were issued compared to 2,810 in 2022. Commercial building permits showed an increase of 2 percent during the same period.
However, the amount of land annexed by the city increased from 2021 to 2022. In 2021, the city annexed 727 acres compared to 1,570 acres in 2022. Under the current state annexation laws almost all annexations are the result of a request from the property owner. State law no longer permits forced annexation where the property owners protest the annexation but are annexed anyway.
The average annual pay is compiled by county, and Guilford County falls behind other major cities in the state, as well as the average for the state and country. The national average annual pay in 2021 was $67,610. The state average was $59,594 and the Guilford County average annual wage was $55,588. The average annual pay in Durham in 2021 was $83,177 and next door in Forsyth County was $59,196.
Just asking; Will Skippy and Queen Nancy be justifying Greensboro’s demographics in comparison to other cities in North Carolina?
Probably not, elected officials don’t seem to be accountable ‘round here.
I recently spoke with the guy who built my house (in 2004) and he mentioned that it’s just no longer viable to build houses at the lower end of the market ( i.e. “Affordable Housing”). The cost of compliance with all the newer rules, requirements, regulations and restrictions is so high that it can be borne only by homes that command a higher purchase price. So that’s why there is so little affordable housing for people who want to become property owners, and embark on The American Dream.
The Democrats have imposed all these rules, and now they bemoan “the lack of affordable housing”.
Gee… I wonder what could be causing it?
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A couple of years ago I saw a puff piece on NBC News about a new California law that required new houses to be built with solar panels. The obviously gay reporter was glowing and gushing! This law was so wonderful!
In the last few seconds of his report he admitted that the new law would “only add about $15,000 to the cost of a new home”.
And that dear reader, is a good example of stupid liberal policy causing problems that liberals subsequently complain about.
And then they say that “the market isn’t working” !
Gotta love how you made sure to throw your homophobia in there too. What a piece of trash.
Homophobia..? Where was that? The guy was gay.
Maybe it is just me, but a shortage seems like it will go against making housing affordable. At least the city & county employees getting a mortgage stipend will have an easier time getting & affording homes.