Cashiers open house could shape Jackson County’s housing plan

Jackson County is asking Cashiers residents to weigh in as it advances a countywide affordable housing strategy meant to guide county efforts over the next 15 years. The county says the plan will look at housing supply, affordability, demographic trends, market conditions and the barriers that keep people from finding stable places to live.

The local hook is a community open house on Wednesday, July 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Albert Carlton Library Community Room, 249 Frank Allen Rd., Cashiers. The county says the format is interactive, with no formal presentation, and residents can drop in to share concerns and ideas.

There is also a separate July 14 open house in Sylva. Together, the two sessions are part of the county’s public engagement phase, not a final policy vote. Jackson County says the draft strategy is still being developed, with recommendations expected in June and July and possible commissioner consideration in October.

Why Cashiers should care

For Cashiers, the practical issue is workforce housing. Local employers, renters and year-round residents all feel the effects when homes are scarce or too expensive. County leaders say the strategy is meant to produce practical, implementable steps that fit local financial and regulatory limits.

Residents do not need an RSVP to attend, though the county is encouraging registration to help organizers plan.

Sources

• Jackson County news release: housing open houses updated June 24, 2026
• WUNC report on Governor Stein’s affordable housing executive order