Findings
In addition to housing opportunities, schools have an influence on housing
location for families with dependents. Wayne County Schools operates the
public school in the county, including the schools in the City of Goldsboro.
There are 14 elementary schools, nine middle schools, eight high schools,
and two alternative schools located in the county. The school system served
a student population of 19,355 students in 2014.
Neither the City of Goldsboro or Wayne County Comprehensive Plan
recognize or quantify the military‘s need for short‐term
accommodations, which support the Reserve contingent at Seymour
Johnson AFB.
ISSUE
HA‐2
In 2015, Wayne County Schools received two “A” grades, one “B” grade, 12
“C” grades, nine “D” grades, and five “F” grades based on the standards and
assessment of the state’s READY accountability program. While a letter
grade cannot capture everything happening at a school, there is a need to
improve the public school system in the area for military children. Currently,
many dependents are home schooled or enrolled in private schools. In 2014
Wayne County Schools developed a District Improvement Plan with several
goals to improve the district and student success. The school district has also
worked to be a military‐friendly environment with a military liaison counselor
that serves as a consultant and coordinator within the school system.
Lack of Various Housing Opportunity Off‐Base
Local jurisdictions’ growth policies do not address
military workforce housing needs.
Compatibility Assessment
Housing availability is critical to sustaining the Seymour Johnson AFB mission.
A 2009 Installation Sustainability Assessment Report indicated that there
were 1,743 military personnel residing on‐Base, including their dependents,
and 9,109 military personnel residing off‐Base with their dependents. These
numbers translate to roughly 84 percent of military personnel and their
dependents living off‐Base in 2009.
Source: http://goldsborodailynews.com/blog/2015/02/06/state‐releases‐performance‐
grades‐wayne‐schools/; Wayne County Public Schools District Improvement Plan, 2014
Existing Tools
Seymour Johnson AFB identified a need for rental apartments in their 2011
update of the General Plan, stating that furnished mobile homes are
available, but not generally considered acceptable housing. According to the
Plan, homes for sale were readily available, but rentals were harder to obtain.
The Base will have a total inventory of 900 on‐Base housing units once their
10‐phase housing replacement and renovation project is complete, leaving
the remainder of military personnel needing off‐Base housing.
Wayne County Comprehensive Plan
Wayne County has defined policies and actions in their Comprehensive Plan,
which are designed to encourage the development of a variety of housing
types, in order to meet the needs of the community:
Local jurisdictions have housing policies that just meet the various housing
needs of the civilian community, but do not consider the more than 9,000
military personnel and their dependents which also need housing within the
community.
Page 5.11‐2
Policy 9.11. A variety of housing types and price ranges shall be
encouraged in and adjoining the downtowns. Such housing shall be at
densities in keeping with a downtown location and compatible with
nearby properties. Public‐ private partnerships to create or improve
downtown are housing shall be encouraged.
Action 12.5. Continue the progress made in recent years with regard
to improved planning coordination between Seymour Johnson Air
Background Report