Raleigh Housing Authority plans to take over Cary apartments, residents push back

Amberwood at Lochmere, a 340-unit apartment complex in Cary, could be taken over by Raleigh Housing Authority.

Cary residents in the Lochmere community and beyond questioned how an acquisition would impact the community, especially by a public agency that would be purchasing from out-of-area. 

Many homeowners who live near the Eclipse Drive complex only learned of the public hearing being held by Cary's town council on July 23 through an email from Lochmere's HOA.

 “We’ve never heard anything about it, and now the notice says they intend to pass it," said one resident.

A legal notice was posted on Cary's website on July 10, just two weeks before the public meeting. The document showed that Raleigh Housing Authority would need authorization from the Council to "acquire and rehabilitate Amberwood at Lochmere". 

WRAL called and emailed the Cary town council on Thursday. In response, Cary's Mayor Pro Tem, Lori Bush, provided the briefing given to the town council on July 13.

According to the document, the Cary town council could vote "no", and RHA could still move forward with plans.

RHA explained that an acquisition would help keep private companies from buying the property and hiking rent.

"Since RHA is statutorily limited to serving low- and moderate-income households, their acquisition and planned renovation would stabilize the property to help prevent either," the document read.

After WRAL reached out with questions on how this would impact residents who live at the complex now, and what this would mean for surrounding communities, a board member from RHA said no changes would be made to the current property management or residents. 

"The proposed acquisition is subject to the consent of the City of Cary’s Town Council. Council members and staff receive comments from their constituents through a portal. We want to be respectful of Cary's public process," Ashley Lommers-Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Raleigh Housing Authority said.

But still, residents who spoke to WRAL remained skeptical about what this could mean for communities' property values in the future.

It's unclear when Raleigh Housing Authority would take over the property.