1000 x 90

Hospitality House Among Award Winners Recognized as the Best of North Carolina’s Affordable Housing

Brenda Warren (from left), FHLB of Atlanta member Bank of Granite; Brenda Lyerly Board Member; Lynne Mason, Executive Director;
Kay Borkowski Board Member; Chris Burns, FHLB of Atlanta member Bank of Granite and Sam Ewell, Jr NCHFA Board Chair

Oct. 3, 2012. Five affordable housing developments received Housing North Carolina Awards on Sept. 27. Sponsored by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, the awards recognize outstanding affordable housing that can serve as models for other communities.

More than 700 people attended the 23rd annual awards luncheon during the N.C. Affordable Housing Conference at the Raleigh Convention Center. 

Housing North Carolina Award winners:

·         Hospitality House in Boone is a unique homeless shelter that offers emergency, transitional and permanent housing serving seven rural mountain counties. It was developed and is operated by the Hospitality House of the Boone Area Inc. with support from Watauga County.

·         Barefoot Ridge is an 43-home community in Clyde that provided new housing for flood victims in the wake of two hurricanes, allowing them to continue living in the area and saving the town’s tax base. The development was led by Mountain Projects Community Action Agency of Waynesville in partnership with Haywood County and the Town of Clyde.

·         Dogwood Manor, Oak Run and Sycamore Park are part of Fayetteville’s Carolina Commons, a large-scale revitalization of a downtown public housing complex. The 284 privately owned apartments for families and seniors were developed by United Developers of Fayetteville and The Communities Group of Maryland, with support from the City of Fayetteville, the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority and Cumberland County.

·         Mingo Village Apartments is a 76-unit development that overcame several hurdles to bring much-needed housing for working families in Knightdale. It was developed by Evergreen Construction Company of Raleigh.

·         Serenity House is a domestic violence shelter in Moore County that was completely rebuilt within a year of being destroyed by a fire. It was developed and is managed by Friend to Friend of Carthage.

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.

N.C. Housing Finance Agency

The N.C. Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency. Since its creation in 1973, the agency has financed more than 206,000 affordable homes and apartments. The N.C. Housing Finance Agency is joining the N.C. Housing Coalition and the Community Investment Corporation of the Carolinas to sponsor the N.C. Affordable Housing Conference: Housing Works, Sept. 27 to 28 in Raleigh.

Hospitality House in Boone

A unique model for serving the homeless, Hospitality House of Boone provides emergency, transitional and permanent supportive housing under one roof, along with services that help residents transition back into the community. Hospitality House is the only shelter serving seven rural mountain counties (Ashe, Avery, Allegheny, Mitchell, Wilkes, Watauga and Yancey) where more than 1,200 people can be homeless on any given night.

A four-year undertaking, Hospitality House consolidated three old downtown facilities into one. Emergency shelter of up to 90 days is available for 26 individuals while transitional housing that includes a family center is offered for up to 24 months for 29 men, women and children. Nine rooms offer permanent housing for individuals and families that have a history of repeated homelessness and a disabling condition. The shelter also includes a playroom and playground for children, a computer lab and a “reflection” room.

Hospitality House’s Bread of Life community kitchen serves three meals a day and provides food boxes to those in need in the community. Hospitality House also offers mail service, showers and laundry facilities to community members who may not qualify or want to stay in a shelter.

Architectural elements such as stonework and timber framing and a well-designed courtyard make the facility an attractive addition to the community. Input from Appalachian State University interior design students resulted in rooms more reflective of typical living environments, such as efficiencies and suites, and warm, soothing colors throughout. The building incorporates green features, such as low flow toilets and water faucets, tankless water heaters, high-efficiency heat pumps and foam insulation.

Services address employment, education, permanent housing, mental health, substance abuse and medical needs. Residents must be substance-free, help with daily chores and attend daily meetings. The shelter’s wellness initiative includes three garden projects that provide vegetables and fruits for the community kitchen and a bike loan program.

The Housing Trust Fund, managed by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, provided financing for Hospitality House, and Watauga County donated the land and secured and administered a CDBG grant for the shelter. Additional funds came from Hospitality House’s Combined Campaign – Giving Hope a Hand.