Press Contact Only:
Margaret Matrone, NCHFA, 919-877-5606,
Connie Helmlinger, NCHFA, 919-877-5607,
Seven affordable housing developments will receive Housing North Carolina Awards Oct. 11 during the N.C. Housing Finance Agency’s statewide Housing Forum at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Some 500 people are expected to be present for the 16 th annual awards luncheon.
Winners range from a subdivision of craftsman-style bungalows built by one of Charlotte’s premier builders, to the nation’s first continuing care retirement community for persons with developmental disabilities in Durham. Also included: a youth shelter in Gastonia; apartment communities for the elderly built by an African American church in Chapel Hill and by the Greensboro Housing Authority as part of a neighborhood redevelopment project; family apartments in rural Walnut Cove (Stokes County) that look like a neighborhood of single-family homes; and a subdivision built with volunteer labor in Union Grove.
Award winners are:
Homeownership
- Westglow in Union Grove, developed by Wesley Community Development Corporation of Statesville.
- The Park at Oaklawn in Charlotte, developed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, the Charlotte Housing Authority, the City of Charlotte and Charlotte builder Saussy Burbank.
Rental Apartments
- Stokesburg Meadows in Walnut Cove, developed by Carolina Community Developers of Greensboro.
- The Villas at Willow Oaks in Greensboro, developed by Mid-City Urban of Silver Spring, MD, Weaver-Cooke-Kirkland Housing, LLC, of Greensboro and Greensboro Housing Authority.
- First Baptist and Manley Estates in Chapel Hill, developed by the First Baptist Church of Chapel Hill and Sarver Housing Group, Inc., of Chapel Hill.
Supportive Housing
- Spring Glen Retirement Community in Durham, developed by Residential Services, Inc, of Chapel Hill, with support from Orange County.
- Pearson Family Center in Gastonia, developed by With Friends, Inc., of Gastonia.
The Housing North Carolina Awards recognize affordable housing that can serve as a model for other communities. Criteria include affordability; design (attractiveness, energy-efficiency, others); contribution to the community; sustainability as affordable housing; and features such as services for residents and creative partnerships.
The N.C. Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency. Since its creation in 1973, the agency has financed 163,000 affordable homes and apartments.
A description of each winning development and the contact person follows:
Westglow, Union Grove
Westglow is a neighborhood of 16 homes located in a rural Iredell County. The homes were developed by Wesley Community Development Corporation of Statesville, an affiliate of the Western N.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The 1200- to 1400-square-foot homes are sited on grassy, three-quarter-acre lots with paved driveways and parking pads. They offer many features not often found in affordable homes, such as large decks and front porches and separate laundry room/mudrooms. All are built according to SystemVision Energy efficiency standards and carry written guarantees ensuring low heating and cooling costs.
Because of the sponsor’s innovative approach, home buyers were able to purchase a three-bedroom, two-bath home valued at $132,000 for $108,750, with monthly payments of only $450. This was accomplished by using part volunteer labor, provided by 50 students from Penn State University; and by creative financing.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provided first mortgages and the N.C. Housing Finance Agency provided deferred, zero-interest second mortgage loans up to $20,000 per family. The Duke Endowment also provided financing for the homes through a grant to the Western N.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Contact: Lawrence Carella, Wesley Community Development Corporation, (704) 902-5554 or (704) 924-8942.
The Park at Oaklawn, Charlotte
The Park at Oaklawn is a neighborhood of 71 craftsman-style homes, of which more than 20 have been completed and sold. It is part of redevelopment of the former Fairview Homes public housing project near downtown Charlotte. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership is the master-developer for the project, in partnership with the Charlotte Housing Authority and Saussy Burbank, a private home building company in Charlotte.
The one-, two-, and three-story homes range from 1,244 to 2,161 square feet and are priced from $111,900 to $166,400. The exteriors are low-maintenance brick and stone with Hardi-Plank siding. The homes have front porches, nine-foot ceilings, and optional features such as gas fireplaces and garages. A typical first floor includes a family room, dining room, kitchen and half-bath, while the second floor has a master suite and bath, two bedrooms and a full bath in the hall.
The City of Charlotte supported the redevelopment with a grant of $1.3 million and with loan subsidies from its House Charlotte Fund. Other funds came from a HOPE VI grant of $34.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Contact: Patricia Adair, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, (704) 342-0933, ext. 214.
Stokesburg Meadows, Walnut Cove
Stokesburg Meadows in Walnut Cove looks more like a neighborhood of homes than an apartment community. It was developed by Carolina Community Developers of Greensboro . To fit in with the rural Stokes County setting, the buildings for the 32 family apartments were designed to look and feel like single-family homes with private front porches. The design helped gain community acceptance by integrating the affordable apartments into an existing neighborhood.
The development also has a computer room, laundry room, playground, gazebo and picnic area with grills. Rents of the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments range from $490 to $570, with monthly rent assistance provided. The development was financed by federal and state housing credits through the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, as well as loans from the Agency and USDA Rural Development.
Jill Smith of Raleigh is the architect.
Contact: Maida Renson, Carolina Community Developers, LLC, (336) 373-0600.
The Villas at Willow Oaks, Greensboro
The Villas at Willow Oaks offers elderly renters a cottage design rather than the congregate living so common for seniors. The property is developed by Mid-City Urban of Silver Spring, MD, in partnership with the Greensboro Housing Authority and Weaver-Cooke-Kirkland Housing of Greensboro. It is part of the redevelopment of Morningside Heights, a 1950s public housing project. The property will eventually include single-family homes and townhomes.
The Villas at Willow Oakes has 40 two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 728 to 900 square feet. The cottage style is enhanced by large front porches, wide sidewalks, and rear parking for privacy. All the apartments are single-level and handicap-accessible, with central air and heat and a washer and dryer.
The monthly rent is $373, with rent assistance provided. The development was financed with a HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and low-income housing tax credits from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency.
Contact: James Cox, Mid-City Urban, (336) 378-5907, ext. 301.
First Baptist and Manley Estates, Chapel Hill
First Baptist and Manley Estates provides 40 apartments for elderly residents with very low incomes. It was developed by First Baptist Church of Chapel Hill, an African American Church founded in 1865, with support from Orange County, the Town of Chapel Hill and local nonprofit organizations. Lane Sarver of Chapel Hill will receive an award for his role as development consultant.
Many of the tenants are long-time residents who had found it difficult to remain in the area because of high housing costs. The apartments at First Baptist and Manley Estates rent for $301, and monthly rental assistance is available.
The 540-square-foot apartments have a living/dining/kitchen space with a large bay window, a bedroom, walk-through closet and a bath. The building boasts a library with a fireplace, multi-purpose room, kitchen, and a large screened-in porch. Residents are able to enjoy the outdoors while relaxing in rocking chairs on the large front porch or tending to gardens in raised beds.
The development was financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and loans from the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County.
Contact: Rev. John R. Manley, (919) 942-2509 or (919) 942-6354; or Lane Sarver, Sarver Housing Group, (919) 967-5520.
Spring Glen Retirement Community, Durham
Spring Glen is the nation’s first continuing care retirement community for older adults with developmental disabilities. It is developed and operated by Residential Services, Inc., of Chapel Hill to serve persons who have “aged out” of the typical group home, which caters to young adults. Spring Glen offers levels of care ranging from assisted independent living to full nursing care. While only minutes away from Durham or Chapel Hill, Spring Glen is situated on a wooded site with a courtyard garden, pond and walking trail.
The facility has 11 bedrooms and two suites. Its common areas include activity rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, a laundry and a nurse’s station.
Residents receive supportive services including physical, occupational and recreational therapy, personal care, nursing and dietary care, and housekeeping. A psychologist and social worker also are available.
Rents are subsidized through state and federal programs for persons with developmental disabilities.
Financing for the development came from the N.C. Housing Trust Fund, Orange County, foundations and private donations.
Contact: Dennis Bradshaw, Residential Services, Inc., (919) 942-7391, ext. 111.
PearsonFamilyCenter, Gastonia
Pearson Family Center provides supportive housing to homeless and runaway children from six counties. With Friends, Inc., of Gastonia developed and operates the property. A local benefactor donated the 25.3 acre site.
The six-bedroom center serves nine children, ages 7 -17. The property includes a kitchen, dayroom, and multipurpose room. The design features energy efficient and durable construction including sealed concrete floors, ceramic tile baths and exterior brick veneer.
Supportive services focus on the goal of reuniting families. Services include case management; individual, group and family therapy; an academic program in collaboration with Gaston Public Schools; and recreational activities.
Financing for the center came from the N.C. Housing Trust Fund, a bank loan, and a community capital campaign.
Contact: Patricia Krikorian, With Friends, Inc., (704) 866-7774.
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