During the Princeton Rotary Club meeting last week, the focus was on the housing situation and the efforts being made by city and county officials to improve it.
Isabella “Boo” Burton, a homeschooled student, along with Caldwell County Judge-Executive Kota Young and Princeton Mayor Brock Thomas, were the featured speakers at the meeting. They discussed the shortage of affordable housing in the local area and shared their strategies to tackle this pressing issue.
Mayor Thomas announced at the meeting that Burton was recently hired as an intern for the City. During the Rotary meeting, Burton told Rotarians that in the summer of 2023, she wanted to start a housing project because one day she wants to pursue a career in local government. She emphasized that she has often been asked what her top concern would be if she were in office. She said her answer was simple: housing.
click to download audioBurton emphasized that one of the most significant challenges impacting our community is not just housing, but the severe shortage of affordable housing, a situation that was exacerbated following the December 2021 tornado.
click to download audioBurton mentioned that the City currently has 13 homes listed for foreclosure due to lack of maintenance or abandonment. She expressed the hope that real estate investors or entrepreneurs would acquire these properties and renovate them to provide suitable housing for families.
Burton highlighted that one of the major contributors to the housing crisis is the rise in interest rates.
click to download audioBurton mentioned that they are actively seeking partnerships with organizations to construct new affordable homes as well as exploring new ways to encourage investors to renovate homes that are currently unliveable. She noted that this endeavor will be a long-term process, because “this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Burton also shared what she has learned from Judge Young and Mayor Thomas during her involvement in the housing project.
click to download audioJudge Young and Mayor Thomas lauded Burton for her work on this project, which they both agreed has been second to none with the time and effort she has put into it. They both said they are excited to work with her as they look at ways to bring safe and affordable housing to the community.
To listen to the full discussion, click on the audio link below:
