BURLINGTON, N.C. (WGHP) — A property that has sat vacant for years in Burlington is now one step closer to becoming permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness.
The Burlington Housing Authority held a groundbreaking on Friday for Hope Village at the corner of North Church Street and Ireland Street.
The Burlington Housing Authority’s CEO says it could eventually house around 40 people, depending on the size of families that move in.
They say they have been wanting to do something with the property for years. They just need a funding boost to make it happen.
“Our goal is to create some more affordable housing and target those that desperately need it,” Burlington Housing Authority CEO Veronica Revels said.
The Burlington Housing Authority was awarded approximately $3.9 million through the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to fund the development project.
The current plan calls for 12 duplexes. There will be one-bedroom units and two-bedroom units.
Revels says some of the units will also be accessible for people with disabilities.
“The Board of Commissioners named … Hope Village, and it’s only going to be one street with a cul-de-sac. … You go in and come back out. … We’re even naming the street Hope Lane. And so it’s just to drive home the fact that we want to provide hope to those who want housing,” Revels said.
Hope Village will use about 2.1 acres at the corner of North Church Street and Ireland Street.
The Burlington Housing Authority plans to work with Allied Churches of Alamance County to help place people to live there.
“Then as they go through the homeless shelter, so first come, first served, and the rents could be as little as nothing or $200. … Affordable, and it’s permanent housing. … We will provide services … to help move them to another level of self-sufficiency because my hope is that they would move so some other homeless persons could take advantage of these apartments,” Revels said.
“Specifically families. … If we talk about pulling at your heartstrings, nothing pulls more than a family with children. … To be able to correct what some people called generational curses around not being able to address homelessness or stable housing, so this is not public housing. This is housing forever as long as they’re here,” Allied Churches of Alamance County Executive Director Jai Baker said.
The organization operates a homeless shelter, food pantry and community kitchen in Burlington.
“What drew me to the project was … we’re able to provide those services, right? We’re able to assist them with … Medicaid and food stamps. We’re able to ensure that they have employment. And if they lose employment, we’re able to help them find more employment. … Then other things such as counseling and mental health access is really what we’re talking about,” Baker said.
The Burlington Housing Authority says the work won’t stop with 12 duplexes. While the duplexes will sit on about 2.1 acres, the full property is a little more than five acres.
Plans for the remaining property have not been finalized.
“We want to build out the remainder of this track because our mission is just to expand housing opportunities that are affordable, and that definition is broad. … What’s affordable to you may not be affordable to me, so we’re looking at how we can fund it, finance it so that all levels of income can find housing,” Revels said.
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“What can we put in place to actually end homelessness? So our goal is to end it. Not to make it a temporary stop,” Baker said.
The Burlington Housing Authority says construction of the 12 units that will be permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness is expected to take up to 12 months
Revels hopes the homes can be completed faster, depending on when construction starts and if the weather allows.