CommunityScale updated the Town of Apex’s Housing Plan to reflect the significant changes in the economy, shifts in the local market, and rapid growth experienced since the pandemic.
The project included a housing needs assessment, a housing market analysis, and an analysis of barriers to housing access and production. The plan concluded with a strategic framework and implementation plan to inform the Town’s next several years of housing policy and investment. One important outcome was guidance to help calibrate the Town’s growing affordable housing fund which enables direct public investment in housing development.
| Provide Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) gap financing |
| Continue the annual housing report and dashboard |
| Conduct attainable housing education and advocacy |
| Expand the Town’s housing investment fund |
| Promote homeownership preparedness classes with down payment assistance |
| Acquire and land bank property directly |
| Continue the Apex Cares initiative to provide targeted home repairs |
| Provide pre-approved missing middle housing designs |
| Update the Affordable Housing Incentive Zoning Policy |
| Create a pilot program to incentivize affordable unit development |
The planning process included multiple rounds of in-person engagement, including several stakeholder focus groups and a series of community workshops. CommunityScale partnered with Arcadis Placemaking to design and conduct these activities which, combined, drew over 100 people into the process. The team also designed and deployed an interactive online survey to gather input from more than 100 additional participants.
The Housing Plan Update was unanimously approved by Town Council on June 10, 2025 as documented on the Town’s project page.
In addition to the plan document approved by Council, CommunityScale published the plan as an online dashboard. This digital version includes key findings and recommendations in a format that is easy to share and view outside the context of a traditional report.
