VIDEO: Dorchester County is launching a workforce housing initiative designed to help essential workers like teachers, EMTs and firefighters afford to live in the community where they work.
The county plans to offer incentives to developers to build workforce housing, addressing rising market prices that have made it difficult for public service workers to afford local housing.
โFor those folks to be at the income level theyโre at, itโs been very difficult to afford housing in our area,โ Frank Staropoli, a community resident, said.
Market prices have been rising in Dorchester County, making it harder for workforce members to afford housing. Staropoli said he has heard stories of essential workers taking extreme measures to afford local housing.
The countyโs new ordinance represents the first phase of an initiative to keep essential workers living locally rather than commuting from other counties.
