Affordable Housing In Cary May Take Hit If Plan Approved

The owners of the Wrennwood Apartments want to replace the residence with a 14,000 square-foot commercial and retail complex.

The apartment complex has more than 60 units, including about 20 units that have been federally subsidized for low- to moderate-income tenants for about two decades.

The plan, now making its way through Cary's Planning Department, has tenants uneasy.

"This is the only apartment complex in Cary where your rent is based on your income," Kathy Hawkins, a resident of Wrennwood, said. "There are other apartments with tax credit, but you have to have so much of an income to live there."

Wrennwood's existence could be limited to another 12 to 18 months, when residents would have to find a new place to live.

"That will really be tough because I'm working in Cary and going to school in Raleigh," tenant Omar Mahammad said. "That would really mess me up."

If the complex were demolished, 10 percent of Cary's affordable housing would crumble with it. That could make Cary's plans to expand its affordable housing market even tougher.

"We're always looking for affordable housing," Ricky Barker, who works in Cary's Planning Department, said. "We try to work with developers to try to incorporate affordable housing in their projects."

Barker said the town was concerned about tearing down the complex and displacing residents.

Tenants said they have not received official notice from management about the future of the complex.

Cary officials said the developer would submit plans about the future of the apartment complex to town leaders at a public hearing on July 28.