Housing Challenges in Rabun County
The Issue
The lack of affordable, available housing was identified as a community problem frequently during the interview process. Nearly every focus group and many individuals mentioned housing affordability and availability regardless of income, occupation, or job type. The accessibility of housing can be explained by several local circumstances:
- Available rental is too pricey for moderate-income individuals.
- Rentals through Airbnb, VRBO, or other short-term rental agencies are much more profitable for homeowners than traditional long-term rentals.
This is a common outcome in many rural scenic regions where vacationers are drawn to outdoor activities and recreation opportunities. Below is information on a couple of communities that have addressed the challenge of preserving scenic beauty and quality of life to preserve their unique assets and character.
Case Studies & Inspiration
Cashiers, NC
The Cashiers Community, located in Jackson County, NC, is a small town less than an hour’s drive from Clayton (32 miles) and was faced with housing and other challenges that are remarkably akin to Rabun County. Jackson County also supports upscale scenic lake housing similar to Rabun. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) conducted the “A Vision for Staying Rural by Design Report” for Jackson County. Its conclusions closely match Rabun County’s conditions and serve as a helpful guide for attaining Rabun’s goals. The two housing recommendations were:
- The Town of Cashiers should create an organization solely focused on bringing a greater diversity of housing, both for sale and rent, to the area. Currently, school teachers, healthcare workers, resort managers, small business owners, and construction companies have the same problem. They are all having an increasingly challenging time finding affordable housing for themselves or their employees.
- Work proactively with major landowners to ensure that development proposals respect local values and community character in scale, design, and architecture. The Cashiers community should collaborate proactively with major landowners to ensure that development proposals respect nature, local values, and community character in scale and design. This recommendation grew out of the recognition that Cashiers, like most small communities, has taken a reactive approach to new developments in the past. It is never enough to say what you do not want in terms of new development. It is also important for communities to let developers and landowners know what they want. This will save time and money and reduce conflict.
Blue Ridge, GA
Blue Ridge is located in Fannin County, Georgia, 65 miles west of Clayton. Noted as one of the Best Mountain Towns by Southern Living Magazine, Blue Ridge has been successful as a tourist and retirement town while preserving its rural character. Its economy is supported by retail trade, hiking, wineries, rafting, and other outdoor activities. Expensive short-term rental cabins surround the town and form the basis for tourist visits and retail income. Four apartment complexes serve moderate-income individuals. Monthly rents begin at $650. Apartments, both subsidized and for-profit, are options that provide affordable, more concentrated housing for a moderate-income earner.
Recommended Actions
- Establish a Housing Working Group
- Both apartments and proactive development are possibilities to address Rabun’s housing challenge that have proven successful in North Georgia