As the last Freeman Place homes receive their finishing touches, city officials have a new tool to help determine the best location for the next public-private affordable housing neighborhood.

Wilson Chief Planning and Development Officer Rodger Lentz said staff wanted to focus on the area between downtown and U.S. 301, narrowing the search field to a swath of 600 parcels. A new online geographic information systems dashboard helps officials see which lots have demolished homes, which ones have buildings in urgent need of repair and which parcels are city-owned.

“When we clear a block or two, the chance of outside investment is much, much higher than if we just clear a single house,” City Manager Grant Goings told Wilson City Council members during a recent meeting. “For the most part, contractors are saying if we want them to invest, they need an area where they can do four or five houses together.”

“We don’t have enough money to affect every house, but we can set the parameters so the private sector will come back,” Lentz said. “Some of the stuff going on 301 hasn’t been the city, but we prepared the area for them to invest. To prepare this area, we’ll do some work, but hopefully at the end of the day, the private sector will come in and do the work.”

The city received $15,762,456.88 through the American Rescue Plan Act, and in February, officials earmarked $2 million for housing redevelopment and $1.85 million for demolition of substandard structures.

Lentz said he hopes to use that money and leverage other programs — such as state grants for urgent repairs — to improve east Wilson neighborhoods.

“If you’re knocking down houses, what is going in their place?” asked Councilman Tom Fyle. “If it is not being redeveloped, all we’re doing is making a wasteland.”

Lentz said officials plan to find an area to focus on and partner with developers to create the next neighborhood like Freeman Place.

“Some of you were on council when Freeman Place kicked off in the early ‘90s and — guess what? — we’re just finishing, so this is not a one-year project or a two-year project or a three-year project,” he said. “It has to be done, but you have to be patient. It is worth it. Look at how nice Freeman Place is, but it takes time.”