A neighborhood for working families along with apartments for seniors, formerly homeless individuals and adults with developmental disabilities were honored today with Housing North Carolina Awards for excellence in affordable housing. Located in Charlotte, East Flat Rock, Greensboro and Greenville, these developments were the latest in the awards’ 28-year history to be recognized.
Sponsored by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, the awards pay tribute to outstanding home ownership, rental and supportive housing developments that serve as models for other communities. Winners were honored at a luncheon during the NC Affordable Housing Conference, which hosted nearly 1,000 housing industry professionals at the Raleigh Convention Center.
Winning developments were selected for affordability, design, sustainability, community contribution, resident services and creative partnerships. They are:
- Mother Teresa Villa, Charlotte, a home for adults with developmental disabilities that was created by the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corporation with support from the City of Charlotte and co-sponsored by InReach, a local nonprofit that provides residential support for people with disabilities.
- Dodd Meadows, East Flat Rock, a single-family home neighborhood developed by Henderson County Habitat for Humanity with support from the City of Asheville.
- Hope Court, Greensboro, a permanent supportive housing facility for formerly homeless individuals, persons with disabilities and working families developed by Affordable Housing Management with support from the City of Greensboro.
- Parkside Commons, Greenville, a rental development offering 98 apartments for Greenville’s seniors, developed by Taft Development Group with support from the City of Greenville.
The NC Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency that has financed more than 255,000 affordable homes and apartments. The Agency hosts the NC Affordable Housing Conference, Oct. 25-26, in partnership with the Community Investment Corporation of the Carolinas and the NC Housing Coalition.
A description of each winner and the contact person follows:
Mother Teresa Villa, Charlotte
Developed by the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corporation with support from the City of Charlotte, Mother Teresa Villa provides homes for adults with developmental disabilities as well as peace of mind for those who care for them.
The building offers 10 one-bedroom and two two-bedroom independent apartments for people who have developmental or intellectual disabilities. The apartments feature accessible kitchens and bathrooms and offer residents balconies or patios.
Mother Teresa Villa offers several amenities for residents including a large community room with a kitchen, a screened-in porch, a computer room and library, a laundry room and an accessible community garden. An elevator is available for residents with mobility impairments to reach all areas of the community, and an emergency generator ensures that power outages don’t impact residents.
This development is the first phase of a planned 20-acre affordable housing campus that will eventually include senior housing, adult day care and a chapel. Residents pay 30 percent of their income for rent and receive rental assistance to cover the remaining costs. The development was cosponsored by InReach, which provides a broad range of services to residents to help them successfully manage their disability and lead independent lives in the community.
Contact: Adriel Cardenas, director of housing corp, Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 704-370-6299.
Dodd Meadows, East Flat Rock
Dodd Meadows, developed by the Henderson County Habitat for Humanity with support from the City of Asheville, will be home to 82 families upon completion. Dodd Meadows is a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes that range in size from 900 to 1,200 square feet with sales prices from $118,000 to $138,000.
All homes are built to SystemVision and Energy Star 3.0 standards that keep heating and cooling costs to a guaranteed average of $31 per month. To promote homeowner health and safety, homes were designed with a heat recovery ventilator to reduce the risk of allergies. All homes come equipped with sprinkler fire suppression systems.
As the average income of Dodd Meadows residents is 53 percent of the area’s median income, sales prices were reduced as needed to ensure housing costs do not exceed 30 percent of the owner’s income. Donated goods, services and funding from local organizations kept sales prices low. In addition, the NC Housing Finance Agency provided zero-interest participation loans to the Habitat, and the City of Asheville contributed funds for forgivable down payment loans.
Dodd Meadows is conveniently located on public transportation routes and within minutes of schools, churches and shopping. Amenities for homeowners include walking trails, a playground, a community garden and a community building that houses various community events.
Contact: Angie Hunter, director of development, Henderson County Habitat for Humanity, 828-694-0340
Hope Court, Greensboro
Developed by Affordable Housing Management with support from the City of Greensboro, Hope Court offers permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals, persons with disabilities and working families. The 16-unit community reserves six apartments for persons with disabilities or those who are formerly homeless.
Apartments range from one to three bedrooms and are affordable to renters making 50 percent or less of the area median income. All apartments are Energy Star certified and feature ceiling fans, natural lighting, patios or balconies, blinds and exterior storage space. Outdoor amenities include a picnic area with grills, a playground, sitting areas and a bicycle rack.
Hope Court is conveniently located near the Koury Convention Center and within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, employment opportunities and public transportation.
Financing for Hope Court was made through loans from the NC Housing Trust Fund and the City of Greensboro. The developer secured several grants and invested its own funds to ensure that Hope Court can keep rents low and still provide many amenities for residents.
Contact: David Levy, executive director, Affordable Housing Management, 336-273-0568
Parkside Commons, Greenville
Parkside Commons, developed by the Taft Development Group with support from the City of Greenville, provides 98 affordable apartments to help address the lack of housing options for the city’s lower income seniors.
Parkside Commons offers one- and two-bedroom garden apartment homes in a charming three-story building. Apartments range from 680 to 900 square feet with rents from $330 to $580. Ten apartments are fully accessible for persons with disabilities and all units feature Energy Star appliances, large closets and storage, ceiling fans and connections for washers and dryers. Amenities for residents include onside laundry facilities, a fitness center, a computer room with high-speed internet access, a community room with a kitchen, a library and an electronic keypad at the main entrance for added security. Residents also enjoy outdoor features including a walking trail, gazebo, picnic area, raised bed gardens and outdoor exercise equipment that offers a unique adult playground to help residents stay fit and have fun.
Parkside Commons is ideally located for the senior residents who call it home. The community is located in the city’s medical district and within walking distance of a grocery store, a pharmacy, banks, restaurants and retail businesses. Vidant Medical Center, one of the largest hospital systems in Eastern North Carolina, is less than a mile away.
Parkside Commons was financed with federal and state housing credits.
Contact: Dustin Mills, president, Taft Development Group, 252-752-7101
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