Press Contact Only:
Margaret Matrone, NCHFA, 919-877-5606,
Connie Helmlinger, NCHFA, 919-877-5607,
Five affordable housing developments and a rural home ownership production strategy will receive Housing North Carolina Awards on Nov. 1. Sponsored by the NC Housing Finance Agency, the awards recognize outstanding affordable housing that can serve as models for other communities. More than 700 people are expected to attend the 22nd annual awards luncheon during the NC Affordable Housing Conference at the Raleigh Convention Center.
This year’s winners recognize homes developed throughout rural eastern North Carolina and a Statesville subdivision that not only provided affordable housing but also sparked local economic growth. Other winners are a group home in Greensboro for teen mothers who have been abused and apartments in Winston-Salem for people with disabilities, both of which were created through strong community partnerships. Rental communities in Gastonia and Warsaw round out the award winners.
Housing North Carolina Award winners are:
- A home ownership strategy by the Choanoke Area Development Association of North Carolina, Inc., Rich Square, that has built 90 homes in the last seven years in Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Northhampton counties.
- Allison Summit, Statesville, a subdivision, and nearby commercial development by the Iredell-Statesville Community Enrichment Corp., the nonprofit arm of the Statesville Housing Authority, and the City of Statesville.
- Gateway Village, Gastonia, an apartment community for seniors developed by Western North Carolina Housing Partnership as a first step in the city’s Highland Neighborhood Urban Master Plan.
- Tanglewood and Bermuda Run Apartments, Warsaw, a substantial rehabilitation and preservation of two adjacent family apartment communities by GDJ Developer, LLC, of Winston-Salem.
- Hunters Hill, Winston-Salem, supportive apartments serving extremely low-income individuals with disabilities, developed by the North Carolina Housing Foundation and Partners for Homeownership.
- My Sister Susan’s House, Greensboro, a transitional group home serving pregnant or parenting homeless mothers, ages 16 to 21, who are also victims of abuse. The property was developed by Youth Focus, Inc., the YWCA of Greensboro and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with architectural plans and labor by the students of UNC-G.
The winners were selected for affordability; design (attractiveness, energy-efficiency); contribution to the community; sustainability as affordable housing; and features such as services for residents and creative partnerships.
The NC Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency. Since its creation in 1973, the agency has financed more than 201,000 affordable homes and apartments. The NC Housing Finance Agency is joining the NC Housing Coalition and the Community Investment Corporation of the Carolinas to sponsor the NC Affordable Housing Conference: Housing Works, Nov, 1-2, in Raleigh.
Editor: A description of each winner and the contact person follows:
Choanoke Area Development Association of North Carolina, Inc., Rich Square
Choanoke Area Development Association (CADA) is a community action agency that has served Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Northhampton counties since 1962. CADA helps low- and moderate-income renters in rural markets become homeowners by linking them to local builder and financing resources and spearheading the development of homes on sites scattered throughout the four counties.
CADA’s approach has produced 90 home buyers in seven years. Some homes are located in existing subdivisions, and others are part of revitalization efforts by local governments, such as Roanoke Rapids, where the city donated five building lots.
The homes vary in style, size and amenities based on the needs of the buyers. Some homes are stick built, while others are modular; exteriors are brick, vinyl or a combination. Homes average 1,400 square feet with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. (Four-bedroom homes are available for larger families or to accommodate families with disabilities).
CADA works with private builders, and in most cases, the homes are built to SystemVision standards for energy efficiency. When needed for buyers with disabilities, the homes are accessible.
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency provided gap financing to buyers, and the majority of buyers received loans through USDA Rural Development. The average sales price is $114,000. The average household income for buyers is $24,991. Participants must attend home buyer education classes and receive one-on-one counseling.
CADA’s efforts have supported 233 construction jobs, and have resulted in $1.9 million in income to local businesses, $8.5 million in local wages, and $577,000 in local taxes and revenues.
Contact: Sallie Surface, executive director, Choanoke Area Development Association, (252) 539-4155.
Allison Summit, Statesville
Allison Summit started in the late 1990s when the Iredell-Statesville Community Enrichment Corp. (ISCEC) and the City of Statesville teamed up to revitalize a community overrun with crime, poverty and homelessness in the south side of the city. Today, Allison Summit is a thriving neighborhood of 33 homes that has sparked nearby commercial and retail development.
ISCEC, the nonprofit arm of the Statesville Housing Authority, developed the neighborhood in four phases over a decade, using property acquired from the city, local landlords, and nonprofits. The city funded the neighborhood’s infrastructure needs and used federal funds to finance most of the construction of the homes.
The three- and four-bedroom homes range from 1,100 to 2,066 square feet and feature one- and two-story bungalow and craftsman designs. All the homes are built to high energy standards with either Energy Star or SystemVision certification, and some also are built to LEED standards. A voluntary homeowners association provides security, social activities and maintenance, including free pressure washing.
The homes cost $99,000 to $139,000 and are targeted toward families whose incomes are below 80 percent of the local median. The NC Housing Finance Agency provided buyers with first mortgages and downpayment assistance. Eligible buyers also received Section 8 homeownership vouchers from the Housing Authority, or subordinate financing from ISCEC in the form of a forgivable loan up to $10,000.
In addition to providing home ownership opportunities, ISCEC has boosted the neighborhood economy by developing the nearby Shoppes on Shelton, which includes a hair salon, ice cream shop, and seafood restaurant that serve and employ many of Allison Summit’s residents. The commercial strip also includes a medical and dental clinic and a community-based credit union. As part of its goal to sustain economic development in the area, ISCEC sold a parcel of land below market value to Dollar General, which has in turn hired local residents.
ISCEC also established the adjacent South Statesville Skills Center, which provides afterschool programs for teens and parenting classes. The center offers adult education and job mentoring in partnership with nearby Mitchell Community College. ISCEC provides housing counseling, including pre and post-purchase, loss mitigation, budget, and credit counseling.
Contact: Darbah Skaf, vice president/CEO, ISCEC, (704) 761-4759.
Gateway Village, Gastonia
Gateway Village Senior Apartments is part of the City of Gastonia’s Urban Master Plan for the Highland Neighborhood. The apartments were designed to look like a row of townhomes to complement a planned neighborhood of single-family homes and a proposed new shopping district. Each of the craftsman-style apartments has a raised front porch. The parking lot is behind the building to further enhance the development’s curb appeal.
Developed by the Western North Carolina Housing Partnership, Gateway Village provides 40 one- and two-bedroom apartments for seniors, ranging from 670 to 950 square feet. Apartments feature large pantries in the kitchen, a dressing area adjacent to the bathroom, a washer and dryer hookup, and walk-in closets in the two-bedroom units. Residents are able to enjoy a library, a community room, and a large covered porch with ceiling fans and rocking chairs. Outdoor amenities include a gazebo, shuffleboard and horseshoe pits, a playground for young visitors, and public and private gardens. The neighborhood also has a large greenspace that connects the apartments to the city’s greenway system. Rents range from $350 to $500 per month.
The development was financed with funding from the City of Gastonia and federal and state housing credits awarded by the NC Housing Finance Agency.
Contact: Jeanne Price, executive director, Western North Carolina Housing Partnership, 828-287-2281.
Tanglewood Apartments and Bermuda Run Apartments, Warsaw
Tanglewood Apartments and Bermuda Run Apartments in Warsaw are a substantial rehabilitation and preservation of two neighboring 50-unit apartment communities that were originally developed as public housing in 1975. While structurally sound, the buildings suffered from age and lack of basic amenities, such as air conditioning. GDJ Developer, LLC, bought and renovated the two developments, improving the exteriors, interiors, and outdoor areas, as well as adding a new community center.
The work included replacing the old baseboard heating with energy-efficient heat pumps; putting in a new roof, gutters, windows, and exterior doors and lighting; and installing new storm doors, GFI outlets in the kitchens and bathroom, and new patios. Interior renovations included a complete overhaul of the existing bathrooms, the addition of a half bath in the three-bedroom apartments, and new appliances, countertops and cabinetry. The floors in all the apartments were replaced with carpet in the living room and vinyl tiles in the kitchen and baths.
The developer also added curb cuts and ramping in the parking lot, and installed new mail kiosks, new playground equipment, and a picnic area with a grill. A new community center includes a rental office, laundry room, kitchenette, computer lab, an activity room and a screened-in porch.
Both Tanglewood and Bermuda Run offer one- to three-bedroom garden apartments ranging from 580 to 980 square feet. Rents start at $440 and go up to $580 per month.
The development was financed with a federal and state housing credits awarded by the NC Housing Finance Agency.
Contact: Gaye Morgan, GDJ Developer, LLC, 336-231-8125.
Hunters Hill Apartments, Winston-Salem
Hunters Hill Apartments, located in the West Salem Neighborhood of Winston-Salem, provides 12 one-bedroom apartments for extremely low-income individuals with mental and/or physical disabilities. The development resulted from a two-year collaboration among five local nonprofits that ultimately garnered strong support from the surrounding neighborhood. The property’s name stems from its location, just to the east of the original Moravian hunting grounds.
Three of the apartments are accessible for people with physical disabilities and the others can be easily adapted as needed. A separate community building includes an office, laundry room, and community room, with an apartment for an onsite manager. The property also features a community garden. The buildings were designed to blend in with the cottages in the neighborhood.
Hunters Hill was developed by the North Carolina Housing Foundation and Partners for Homeownership in collaboration with Center Point Human Services, Experiment in Self Reliance, and the United Way of Forsyth County’s Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. The West Salem Neighborhood Association strongly supported the development, leading neighbors to offer an “old fashioned pounding” at the opening, bringing pounds of food, household supplies and plants to help the tenants get settled into their new homes.
The new apartments are part of an initiative the General Assembly launched in 2005 to create independent and supportive apartments affordable to low-income people with disabilities. Financing is provided through the NC Housing Trust Fund, which is managed by the NC Housing Finance Agency. These funds leveraged additional support from the Winston-Salem Foundation, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust Poor and Needy Division, the United Way, the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
The apartments are affordable to people who live on Supplemental Security Income. Tenants are also eligible for rental assistance from the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
Contact: Diane Evans, director of development, NC Housing Services and Management Corp., 336-768-9268.
My Sister Susan’s House, Greensboro
My Sister Susan’s House in Greensboro is a unique transitional living program for pregnant or parenting teens who are also domestic abuse survivors. The strong partnership that led to the projects has become an ongoing collaboration among community organizations to help the young women and their families become self-sufficient.
Developed by Youth Focus, Inc., and the YWCA of Greensboro, My Sister Susan’s House was designed and built predominantly by faculty and students from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) led by Professor Robert Charest. This was a contribution of more than $400,000 in labor and supplies. Students from Guilford Technical Community College also helped with the building effort. The City of Greensboro donated the land, and the Foundation of Greater Greensboro provided funding for furniture.
The result is a “green” building that meets national LEED standards. It features insulated concrete-form walls, and energy-efficient windows and heating and cooling systems. Interior cabinets are made of wheat board, a rapidly renewable resource. Residents have private rooms and bathrooms, and “bonding with baby” suites are available for mothers who give birth while at the facility.
The Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women, the Governor’s Crime Commission and the City of Greensboro supply operating funds for the program. UNCG students and faculty provide social work, nutrition, speech pathology and program evaluation services, as well as breastfeeding education.
The NC Housing Trust Fund, managed by the NC Housing Finance Agency, provided financing for My Sister Susan’s House, and the State Employees Credit Union Foundation furnished zero percent construction financing.
Contact: Chuck Hodierne, executive director, Youth Focus, Inc. 336-274-5909.
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The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency. It has financed 201,000 homes and apartments in the last three decades, including 84,000 homes for first-time home buyers. To learn more, go to www.nchfa.com or call 919-877-5700 or 800-393-0988.
