Commissioners to be commended for their willingness to back housing for elderly

Through their willingness to work with Mountain Projects to meet a deadline for funding that could bring the county affordable housing for its low-income elderly population, Jackson County commissioners have demonstrated that they are open to exploring new ways to help local citizens.

Instead of turning aside the request from Mountain Projects' Director Patsy Dowling because a site plan for the new governmental complex on N.C. 116 is not yet complete, county leaders embraced the idea of an elderly multifamily community joining Jackson County's Department of Social Services, Jackson County Transit, the county's senior center and a planned Jackson County Mission to house aid organizations like United Christian Ministries on the 30-acre tract.

Because they needed to decide in a hurry, commissioners acted prudently and reserved the right to end the agreement if further study reveals a problem with locating the elderly housing units on the site. They also protected the town of Webster by stipulating that if the 2 acres allocated for the project falls within the town's zoning jurisdiction, it is Mountain Projects' responsibility to comply with all of Webster's rules.

According to figures Dowling shared with commissioners last month, Jackson County is in desperate need of such housing for a portion of its senior citizens. More than 7,000 elderly individuals live in this county, and some 1,500 - about 20 percent - of those are classified low income.

Mountain Projects has targeted a location in the corner of the county's property where the proposed housing complex can serve as a transition between adjacent single-family homes and the county's planned government complex.

In addition, the state is likely to look more favorably on the Mountain Projects application because the agency plans to locate its housing near the agencies its clients are likely to need most - DSS and Jackson County Transit.

We applaud our county leaders for being open-minded enough to recognize the potential of a new idea and willing to take steps to bring it to fruition.

Better housing for the county's elderly is a goal worth achieving.