Pressing housing needs in Wicomico County spur ideas from local leaders

SALISBURY, Md. – Housing needs are only becoming more pressing in Salisbury, according to city leaders and advocates.

Pressing Needs

Executive Director of Habitat For Humanity of Wicomico County, Molly Hilligoss, says one of the key issues right now, is affordable housing.

“There is a lack of supply for every income level,” said Hilligoss. “But, the one thing that people aren’t talking about, is the preservation of existing homes that we already have.”

In 2022, 312 Wicomico County families applied for home improvement loans with traditional banks and lenders, hoping to make necessary repairs, to the tune of about $75,000, on average. 150 of those applicants were denied.

“The three biggest home improvement requests: a new roof, a new HVAC system, and a walk-in shower,” Hilligoss said. “And, those are the basics. But, those are expensive.”

Pitching a New Program

Hilligoss says her organization is trying to help where they can, but have about 160 families on their wait list already. That’s why she’s suggesting that the City of Salisbury and Wicomcio County team up to create an emergency critical home repair revolving loan program.

“This would be a lien on the property. It is not a handout. It is not a freebee,” Hilligoss explained. “When the family eventually sells the property or refinances, the city or the county would be paid back in full.”

During Monday’s Salisbury City Council meeting, Hilligoss made her pitch for the new fund. Council President D’Shawn Doughty tells 47 ABC WMDT that it’s an idea that he has already looked into, himself.

“We have a population here in Salisbury that are homeowners, and who want to repair their homes and need it, but just simply can’t afford it,” Doughty said. “We do enforce the code, but if an individual is willing to keep their house up to code, but is just unable to, that’s where we step in and say, ‘How do we make the two meet in the middle?'”

Strength in Numbers

Doughty says leaning on existing resources could help to kickstart the idea.

“I think we should also make more of an effort into acquiring funds from either the federal or state level, and of course, housing those funds to be able to distribute them to the persons in need,” Doughty said.

The Council President added that it’s the city’s responsibility to create partnerships for the good of its citizens.

“We don’t get anywhere by reinventing the wheel, and doing it alone,” Doughty said. “We are the county seat. So, if we lean into that conversation, I suspect that the county will come on board.”

Housing Task Force

Separately, but similarly, Salisbury City Council is also setting a new mission: creating a Housing Task Force. Doughty said the yet-formed task force’s impetus was conversations about affordability, conditions, and the state of rental market in the city.

“We do have an increased need in our unhoused people,” Doughty said. “Salisbury is the capital of the Eastern Shore, and so we have a lot of people who come here for resources.”

Doughty says the task force would involve people from the non-profit sector, those impacted by housing affordability or and/or conditions, landlords, and other stakeholders.

“We wanted a very well-rounded group of people to be able to provide the best solution to our residents,” Doughty said. “Most importantly, we need to see solutions out of this. We’re not in this just to talk. We want our efforts to show in this task force.”

Looking Ahead

A task force typically wields more power than a committee; Doughty says Salisbury’s group tasked with tackling current and future housing issues should be equipped to do so. “The task force will be able to bring things directly to the council and administration. And, they can enact them within themselves,” he said.

Doughty says he, and other city leaders, are appreciative that developers are beginning to flock to Salisbury. However, as more housing is planned for the city, he says it arrives at an important moment of reflection.

“I think this is a good moment for us to sit and hear residents with their concerns,” Doughty said. “But, the big portion of that is determining what should be the rents be, what can the rents be, and what can Salisbury’s workforce and economy handle when it comes to rent in the area.”