There’s an old movie titled “Mars Needs Women,” and that may or may not be true, but one thing that is definitely true is that Greensboro and Guilford County need housing. That need has grown so great that home prices have skyrocketed, the housing shortage has become critical, the City of Greensboro has implemented a massive new housing plan, state officials are attempting to make it easier to get new housing, and the Town of Summerfield lost about 1,000 acres of land due to a desire of many political leaders to allow more housing.
There’s a whole lot to say on the matter and one place that people will get a chance to say it is before the Guilford County Board of Commissioners next month. The board will hold a legislative hearing on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 5:30 p.m. to take in public comments on the “Guiding Guilford Moving Forward Together Comprehensive Plan.”
That meeting will be held in the commissioners’ meeting room on the second floor of the Old Guilford County Courthouse at 301 W. Market St. in downtown Greensboro.
The hearing is required under state law as part of a process for adopting a comprehensive plan.
North Carolina General Statute 160D-501 requires local governments to adopt and maintain such a plan in order to implement zoning regulations.
In the proposed plan, Guiding Guilford lays out a long-term vision for growth, conservation, economic development, land use, and other areas of planning. According to county officials, it’s intended to shape development across Guilford County for the next 15 to 20 years.
This effort kicked off in the spring 2023 and included what county officials describe as extensive opportunities for public input. That feedback has been used to develop the plan and its seven guiding themes: community character, attainable housing, resilient economy, diversified transportation and mobility, service accessibility, protected natural environment and greenspace, and quality and context-sensitive infrastructure.
A copy of the entire plan and a summary of the planning themes can be found at the Guilford County Clerk to the Board’s office in the Old County Courthouse during normal business hours. That’s the old school way to view it, but the plan can also be found online at Guilford County’s official website.
County leaders are encouraging residents to take a look at the proposal and then attend the Sept. 4 hearing to share their views.
While other things will be discussed, housing and affordable housing are obviously a major component of the plan.
The Guilford County Planning and Development Department, working together with consultant Design Workshop, is leading the process with the goal of aligning growth and housing needs with infrastructure, services and community priorities.
There have been a lot of cases in recent years when those who moved to the rural part of the county to live in peace and quiet have learned that housing developments will now be built nearby.
Community engagement has been central in the debate from the beginning.
A “Community Pulse” survey and a series of open-house workshops in 2023 collected residents’ views on housing affordability, diversity of options, and overall quality of life. Focus groups and a steering committee of experts and residents added more perspective.
In July 2024, the county presented draft recommendations in a series of meetings – both in person and virtual – so residents could react to proposed strategies and share how well they thought the draft matched countywide needs.
The state requires Guilford County to maintain a comprehensive plan; however, it’s important to note that the plan isn’t law. Instead, it’s a policy guide that provides a framework for decisions – any zoning or ordinance changes still require separate action by the Board of County Commissioners or action through the Unified Development Ordinance.
Housing is one of the five major elements of the plan, along with land use, transportation, governmental coordination, and natural, historic and cultural resources.
The housing section is designed to address how the county will accommodate growth – due to JetZero, Boom Supersonic, the Toyota battery plant and many other recent economic development successes – while providing equitable options and responding to demographic and economic shifts.
The plan is meant to strengthen standards by adopting and enforcing current building and rehabilitation codes so that new and existing homes remain safe and accessible. It also emphasizes that housing development should be tied closely to community growth as well as to the availability of reliable infrastructure such as water, sewer and transportation networks.
The approach is an attempt by Guilford County to encourage more diverse housing choices across the area. That means greater variety in the types of homes available, from multifamily dwellings and accessory units to senior-friendly housing for residents who want to age in place.
Affordability is also, of course, at the forefront, with the plan seeking to expand housing access across income levels and family structures while making sure growth happens in areas where the county can support it with services.
The document also stresses that housing can’t be addressed in isolation – it must be integrated with transportation systems, land use planning, environmental protection and economic opportunity.
Public participation in the effort has been extensive so far.
A survey that closed in August 2024 let residents weigh in. The next step will be a review by the Planning Board and then the Board of Commissioners – and in the end the commissioners will decide whether or not to adopt the plan.
The housing piece of the plan is especially timely: In Greensboro, High Point, and rural parts of Guilford County, housing demand has shifted in ways that highlight affordability concerns, infrastructure constraints and changes in what different generations seek from a home.
More people are now looking for multifamily living options, while others are seeking housing that’s designed for older adults who prefer to remain in their communities. These challenges aren’t special to Guilford County; however, the comprehensive plan is the county’s tool to respond in a controlled, rational, organized and long-term manner.
