Developments like Belle Mead sound promising – new housing, new business, new opportunities – but beneath the marketing, Belle Mead doesn’t deliver what Sussex County truly needs.
Of its proposed apartments, only 15% would be rent-restricted, priced at 80% of area median income (about $1,760 per month). For example, an entry-level teacher earning $49,800, affordable housing caps at $1,245. That’s a gap of over $500 under the standard 30% housing affordability rule – far below the proposed 80% AMI rate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 median wages for Sussex County, this rate is unaffordable for most essential workers.
With more than 40 years of experience in human resources, including three recent years recruiting healthcare workers in Sussex County, I’ve seen firsthand how the definition of affordable housing often fails to match the financial realities of frontline workers. Even when rent-restricted, these units remain out of reach for those who work in entry-level teaching, healthcare support, food service and retail positions.
Meanwhile, nearly 72,000 square feet of new retail space in the Belle Mead proposal will require workers who already can’t afford to live locally.
I support affordable housing; however, I oppose this zoning change for two reasons: 1. The proposal creates a net deficit in affordable workforce housing; 2. The retail component will further strain an already-existing workforce shortage, a situation that is projected to grow more severe in the coming years.
I ask the Sussex County Council to look beyond short-term development gains and uphold Sussex County’s zoning standards. True progress means ensuring that those who live and work here can continue to do so. The Belle Mead project, as proposed, falls short of meeting the affordability and workforce housing goals our county needs.
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