Sale prices are up 59% since 2019 and 82% of homes are single-family. The plan adopted Oct. 20 sets 22 steps, from zoning incentives to a home repair pilot.
Holly Springs now has its first plan for keeping homes within reach of people on ordinary incomes. The Town Council adopted the Affordable Housing Action Plan at its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, the town said in a release Thursday.
The town said the plan sets out 22 measurable action steps over three years. It does not build homes or set aside money on its own. It tells town staff what to work on first.
Why the town wrote it
The 26-page plan lays out the pressure in a few numbers:
- 82% of the town’s homes are single-family houses
- home sale prices have risen 59% since 2019
- renters earning under $35,000 a year face the most severe shortage of homes they can afford
- the town grew from 908 residents in 1990 to 51,500 in 2025
The plan says longtime residents, seniors on fixed incomes and first-time buyers are most at risk. It says Holly Springs has not yet seen widespread displacement.
Consultants HR&A studied the town’s housing in 2023. The council never adopted that study. In early 2026 it told staff to turn the study into a plan it could act on.
What the plan commits the town to
The plan groups nine actions under three headings.
| Area | Actions |
|---|---|
| Access and outreach | Rebuild the town’s Housing Hub web page; build a network of housing partners; set up a housing advisory group |
| Programs and policies | Align long-range plans and the development ordinance with housing goals; adopt an affordable housing incentive zoning policy; create a fast-track review for affordable projects; pilot a repair program for owner-occupied homes |
| Town capacity | Dedicate staff to housing programs; find dedicated funding |
A few of the details matter most to residents and builders:
- Zoning incentives. Developers could get more density, smaller setbacks or other flexibility in exchange for including below-market homes. The plan points to Apex, about five miles north, which already has such a policy.
- Faster reviews. A fast track would cut review for qualifying affordable projects from about 18 months to 12 months, the plan says.
- Home repairs. A town-funded pilot would help owners repair and stay in older homes. The plan says town money could be matched by Wake County’s existing repair fund, doubling its reach.
- An advisory group. The town’s Land Use Advisory Committee will act as the first housing advisory group. A separate committee of appointed residents could follow once the town has the staff to support it.
The plan notes that Holly Springs has no dedicated housing staff today. It sets no dollar figure for the programs. Staff are to work out the cost and propose funding sources, and to report progress to the council each year.
At the Sept. 15 public hearing, staff laid the work out year by year, as we reported before the vote. The Planning Board had split 5-4 in favor.
What comes next
The town said its first steps are:
- drafting an incentive zoning policy
- updating the Housing Hub website
- setting the measures it will use to judge success
The Land Use Advisory Committee next meets Tuesday, Nov. 3. Its agenda will be posted on the town’s meeting portal.
The cover of the posted plan gives an adoption date of Nov. 20, 2026. The town’s release says the council adopted it Oct. 20.
What it means for you
- Nothing changes overnight. No rules on new building change until the council adopts an incentive zoning policy, which comes back to it later.
- If you own an older home and need repairs, the town pilot is not open yet. Wake County’s own program is: see our guide to the Wake County home repair grants of up to $35,000.
- If you want a say, watch the Land Use Advisory Committee agendas and the council’s public hearings on any new zoning policy. Our building permits and zoning guide explains how hearings work.
- For the market itself, see Holly Springs home prices.
The other big items from the Oct. 20 meeting, the Daventry rezoning and the Chandler Crossing apartments, are not yet in the town’s minutes or releases. We will report the outcomes when they are.
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