Cape Charles and Northampton County are facing an expanding gap between how much workers earn and how much they have to pay for housing.
The U.S. has a shortage of 7 million rental homes affordable and available to workers such as teachers, and town and county employees. The pinch has been happening for years, but we are finally starting to see developers willing to take on the problem.
A great example is the Kiptopeke Inn. Formally a hotel, it is being retrofitted for affordable housing by Community Investment Group.
The apartments are fully furnished studios, approximately 350 square feet. They come with full kitchens, as well as a washer and dryer. They will be renting for $1100 per month, which is right in the range for many workers.
We do not have information on availability or the application process, but that should be coming soon. The tentative word is they should be available in late September.
All Photos by Karen Zamorski.
$1,100 per month for a small studio apartment is a “value”? Okay, maybe I am out-of-touch as to what some folks think is doable when making $15/hr and not really full-time (ie, little or no benefits). Do they get affordable food also? You know, that inflation thingy.
As we should always remember, the devil is in the details.
People on the shore do not make 15.00 hr ,nor can they afford 1100.00 rent. It’s just ridiculous, it will sit and rot empty .
I agree with you 100%.. this is crazy..that is not affordable by any means. Smh
Awesome
Hmmm….is that a swimming pool I see? Who maintains that? Are utilities included in rent? How many people are allowed to occupy each unit? Month to month? Seems like a GREAT deal for the summer “guests” who would otherwise pay 3 or 4 times that much, when renting in Cape Charles or Bay Creek. How ya’ gonna restrict these to the “working poor”, legally of course….
How is that affordable?!?! These will be on vrbo/Airbnb in no time. $1100/month… Un. real.
$1100 per month is affordable housing my foot! Beginning teachers can’t afford that! Sad, but true! Really, what hardworking Eastern Shore person can afford this “affordable” housing and still eat?
Note: I’m beginning to think I should change the title of this article 🙂
Just another example of the inadequacy of some thought processes…. $1100 is not affordable for a glorified long term hotel suite. Has the individual who decided on the rental price per unit taken a look at the average income for a Northampton county hourly employee? I suppose however it is all part of a bigger conversation on a much grander scale. It is nice to see however that someone is at least TRYING to come up with solutions for the housing issues here, albeit a not so affordable one. I also agree, a change in title for this article should be considered…. Coming Soon: Long Term Stay Suites….
Just wait until Bob gets approved for government subsidies. The $1,100 is not paid by the tenant my friends! Another big time getto about to appear, probably a drop off of epic proportions of illegal border crossings wouldn’t be far fetched.
A come-here’s wet dream. $1100.00 per month on the Eastern Shore of Va? This type of thing is why you people are not welcome. You should all be ashamed of yourselves, especially the locals that allowed you to come her.
I agree $1100.00 is by no means affordable. But using the phrase “come here” as a scapegoat for a something you don’t agree with is quite childish. And this is AMERICA land of the fucking free asshole people don’t need permission to travel freely.
Everyone has a home that they were born and raised in. If you choose to leave your home, then you have come to someone else’s home. There is no other way to look at it. Now I am a grown man, if you wish to continue calling me childish and using foul language….feel free to leave me a phone number and I will give you a call to finish our conversation.
Look over that log before you leap.
Stuart, calling people out with a threat of violence is not a good thing. Can’t we agree to disagree without the threats. I believe there is enough violence to go around. Peace brother and better days.
What threat is that?
This should be good.
Please realize that you would never speak to me in person this way…Coward.
You sure get in your of scapes with people. Were you beaten as a child and have not gotten over it? A bedwetter? Kicked out of the Cub Scouts for crying at the overnight camp outs?
I bet you are like the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. One slap to your face and you cry like baby.
Medication may be of help to you. If you do not have health insurance to cover the cost try a Dirty Martini with a mountain oyster garnish. It will set you free……
Any Time…
Salute! (a famous Hee Haw saying)
I think ol’ Stuart was a back up singer with Buck Owens and the Buckeroo’s. He was thrown out of the band because of his poor hygiene.
SB has a Come Here phobia but he must realize “Come Here Lives Matter!!”
Bless your heart…
As with most comments….this is not affordable. Affordable is $600-$800 a month.
Affordable is not even $600 to $800 for most when renting! However, $700 would be a good amount for a mortgage with a low interest rate and 30 years to pay the loan! There are deals out there but, not in Cape Charles, you may have to do some improvements over time but, it is so worth it. Also, if you buy and sell a few times to get a nicer house starting young is key! Start young and reach for the stars because if you ever want to retire you don’t want to be renting you want to be owning at that point! Even if you have a pension, social security and 401k it is important to be a homeowner at retirement so you don’t struggle in your later years! I think this should be taught in school and stressed by parents even if they were never homeowners so future generations will be better off! Don’t rent and give your money to someone else invest in yourself!
It is very unfortunate that the cost of renting has climbed so high. I often wonder how good hard working people such as restaurant workers, teachers as well as retail employees among others put a decent roof over their head.
What is the true definition of affordable housing? Is there a true bench mark of dollars and cents? I do not think so.
Maybe the number should be nailed down to a certain percentage of your income. I just don’t know. But I do know this, the owner of the property needs to make a return on their investment in the form of profits.
Will there be government subsidies as someone had mentioned earlier?
Very interesting, if you approach it from a long term rental it is unrealistic/unaffordable. However, if you look at it from a month to month rental it makes sense. The Shore is bringing in many contractors that need a month to month rental. Even a cheap motel is going to cost you $350 a week …so $1,100 a month is not unreasonable as long as the economy is growing and we continue to bring in craftsman.
You should be using contractors that live and work on The Shore, not bringing in foreigners.
I agree if your talking general contractor but we dont have many specialist available
Maybe because native easternshoreman did not require these specialties, but come-here’s do.
Wow, native folks didn’t need licensed electricians? Plumbers? Dry wall?
Kind of a squalid existence you lived there, Stuey.
This article as well as some of the comments are laughable. Ha, Ha.
Laughing is good for your immune system, so this thread is a benefit to public health if it makes you laugh.
Jocularity! Jocularity!
A high rent will help to keep out the Riff Raff in CC
Publius Americanus says
AUGUST 29, 2022 AT 2:46 PM
Wow, native folks didn’t need licensed electricians? Plumbers? Dry wall?
Kind of a squalid existence you lived there, Stuey.
The trades you mention exist and always have….not sure what specialties that he was talking about.
Why are you concerned?
Why not be?
Have a wonderful day, Stuey.
For this to fit the “affordable” definition as established by HUD, the minimum annual income of people who rent one of these apartments would be $39,600. So an employed couple who don’t mind living in a studio apartment, or a single person who makes $20/hr + would fit the bill. But a lot of our workforce wouldn’t fit that profile.
Get over yourselves, folks. Take a look at these refurbished MOTEL rooms. What do you think they will look like after a few weeks of day laborers living in them? These will be a deal for the tourists…much cheaper than condo rentals in Bay Creek!!!
That will be the market!
If this were a 2 bedroom apartment I would apply right now. I moved here from PA for my health and cannot find a really nice apartment in the area period. It is a total same.
The road that brought you to The Shore…well, that same road will take you back home.
I understand all utilities are included in the rent, so $1,000 for no washer and dryer to $1,100 for a washer and dryer really isn’t that bad. The problem I have is the size. Perfect for short term or contractors working here. Contrary to the comments, we cannot get quality contractors to work on the eastern shore. There is such a waiting list or if fish are running, they take off. Most times can’t even get a contractor from other side of bridge to come. I know, tried several times to get work done by ANYONE! They need to reevaluate to get long term renters. I agree that it will just turn into tourist city. Someone didn’t do their homework here!
Once again… These refurbished MOTEL rooms will be very popular with TOURISTS, summer rentals and the like. Way less expensive than Bay Creek condos or similar vacation properties in Cape Charles. Forget about the”contractors ” and/or the “poor”. The money to be made is with the tourist trade around here, even with the dreaded ” come heres” who are waiting for the finishing touches to be put on their McMansions being constructed in Bay Creek.
Not all of us that have moved here live in Bay Creek nor want to.
Exactly, Pat…so the delightfully refurbished Kiptopeke structure offers an alternative!