WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — New housing could be making its way to Waynesville as another apartment complex expands amid an increased need for housing.
Ceruleum Capital Partners, a Greensboro developer, applied for the land classified as vacant agriculture along Hyatt Creek Road.
"They proposed 192 units, which includes some townhomes and multifamily development and the size of the two parcels is approximately 32 acres combined," said Olga Grooman, Interim Development Services Director in Waynesville.
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As the board weighs the potential new apartment, Palisades at Plott Creek was approved to move forward with its phase two construction, adding 58 more units to the eight buildings that already house 200 apartments.
These two projects are being placed at market value, which, according to the North Carolina Housing Coalition, the hourly wage needed for a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent is $23.65 an hour, as of 2026.
"Haywood County as a whole is in desperate need of affordable housing," said Amanda Singletary, Section 8 Program Manager at Mountain Projects.
The North Carolina Housing Coalition also says that 52% of renters have trouble affording their homes and 20% of homeowners face the same issue.
"We have a growth right now of housing and rentals which is wonderful, but they aren't affordable in the sense that locals who are from the area, work in the service industries here, they can't afford to live here," Singletary said.
The county currently ranks 58th for evictions among renter households, with 56 families facing foreclosure and 368 facing evictions among renter households.
"We encounter folks from all walks of life; most are in difficult situations, whether it's due to disability or loss of income. Some are working full-time and they still can't afford housing here," Singletary said.
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Although the new housing units are market rate, there are some affordable housing opportunities in progress.
"So there is one complex that's in mid-build off of Howell Mill Road, but even that's going to be limited in terms of the number of units," Singletary said.
Haywood Habitat for Humanity executive director Jared Iraggi saying the county needs to rebuild access to homeownership for the younger families and working households who want to build equity over time.
"One of the biggest problems is that we have largely stopped building starter homes. That means there is no longer a clear access point for many local families to get their foot in the door of homeownership. Recreating that access point will require intentional choices," Iraggi said.
Iraggi says the homes of the future may look a little different than those from the past.
"They will likely need to be smaller, more efficient, and built in thoughtful neighborhood patterns that preserve community character while making better use of land. That means we need to look seriously at zoning, density, fire access requirements, infrastructure costs, and incentives for builders who are willing to produce smaller-footprint homes priced for the local workforce," Iraggi said.
Iraggi says the needs of all of Haywood County are not all identical.
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"The needs in Waynesville, Canton, Clyde, and greater Haywood County are not all identical, but the larger issue is the same: we are standing at a generational intersection during a generational housing crisis. As our communities revisit zoning and land-use rules, we need to build for the housing needs of today, not just the housing patterns of the past," Iraggi said.
Grooman ensuring that there are more affordable housing projects underway.
"We have Mountain Housing Opportunities of Howell Mill Road, they are digging the ground right now, we also have a couple that are trying to get the grant, for example there is a fevelopment that is proposed of local strive its for senior affordable housing and they are trying to get the grant, we have a senior complex coming behind former K-Mart and we do have some affordable housing units that are in the Mountain Creek Plaza Apartments right now," Grooman said.