Sandhills Habitat E-newsletter

Update from Our Director

Workforce Housing Solution – Community Opportunity

At Habitat for Humanity, we seek to create a community where everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home. We have been building and preserving affordable housing in the Sandhills for 35 years, serving 300 families with home ownership and an additional 300 with critical home repairs since then, focusing on families who earn 30-80% of the median income. In recent years, local employers have also expressed concerns regarding the availability of expanded workforce housing. Workforce housing is generally defined as households earning 60-120% of the median income, so we have been working to find a solution to address a broader spectrum of families in partnership with working with others since Habitat affiliates are limited to serving families up to 80% of the average median income.

Two months ago, we purchased a piece of property that we hope will allow our community to join forces to create that solution. With over 100 acres of land in the southern part of Moore County, we hope to provide affordable housing for hundreds of local families. The traditional Habitat model will serve some families, but we are also eager to help address the concerns of employers striving to meet the needs of their current and future workforce. The result may be a mix of housing, including Habitat home ownership with single-family detached dwellings and townhomes and rental solutions driven by employers at rates determined by the employers. We believe this could provide employment incentives that would be enticing for those relocating to the Sandhills or just seeking the opportunity to live and work in the same community.

Due to the sensitive nature of land development, we have not had the opportunity to share details of this vision with many of our partners. We are excited to do so now. We are open to various ideas on how to work together to create a unique community that reflects the spirit of the Sandhills – to care for our entire continuum of the workforce we all depend upon and value. We met with area leaders and representatives to discuss building workforce housing that would be an attractive incentive for skilled workers in Moore County.

Fieldtrip to Chapel Hill to see Habitat for Humanity, Orange County, NC groundbreaking celebration of Weavers Grove, a mixed-income community offering 243 units, 99 of which are affordable housing, a mix of condos, duplexes, single-family homes, and townhomes.

To learn more about this exciting project, contact Amie Fraley at 910.295.1934 or afraley@sandhillshabitat.org

Thank you for supporting the Habitat mission – we look forward to building with you!

Peace and Grace,

Amie N. Fraley

Executive Director

Habitat Celebrates Home

Habitat partnered with Sandhills Community College students to build our first tiny home. Once students completed the house on campus, we moved it to Carthage. After 300 hours of sweat equity and homeownership classes, Marilyn Larson closed on her home in late May. Marilyn got hooked on the idea of "tiny home" living after watching the program Tiny House Nation. Being single, getting older, and realizing she wanted a simple, peaceful, uncluttered, uncomplicated lifestyle, she was ready to downsize even more.

Marilyn Larson - 910 Currie Street in Carthage

Clara McDonald has lived most of her life in Rockingham and built her Habitat Home

alongside volunteers in Hamlet. She learned about the Habitat Homebuyer Program through another homeowner. We are always honored that our homeowner partners think highly of our program and recommend it to friends. Clara works as a service provider at Griffin Chrysler Dodge Jeep. She is also busy raising two children, a teenage daughter, Jayla Brower, and a son, George Goins IV. She looks forward to her children having their own room and a safe environment to thrive.

Clara McDonald - 107 Brantley Avenue in Hamlet

Homeowner Pays Off House

Congrats to Julie Mclaughlin who paid off her Habitat mortgage this month and now owns her home free and clear of any debt (paid it off early)! Julie's house was the 93rd house built and was sponsored by First Baptist Church of Southern Pines and Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church. She is a graduate of Pinehurst High School.

Julie stopped by the office to thank Habitat for our partnership. “Home is where the heart is” Julie exclaimed as we congratulated her on the achievement.

Faith Relations

Thank you, Freedom Baptist Church, for hosting our May Faith Relations meeting! The baked ziti was delicious and the message was loud and clear . Richmond County is engaged in building community, and we are grateful to partner with the community to build and preserve affordable home ownership!

July Faith Relations Meeting

Save the Date for our Faith Relations Meeting on Wednesday, July 19th at 12:00 in Hoke County at Leach Springs Missionary Baptist Church, 821 Arabia Road, Raeford. We are looking for community partners and volunteers to advocate for affordable housing.

PLEASE RSVP

Contact our Faith Coordinator

Thank you for your service and your partnership, Catherine! As a Habitat critical repair partner, Catherine is paying her portion (25% of material/subcontractor cost) of her new roof and storm doors. Additional funding was awarded through a Veteran's Home Repair & Modification Program grant due to Catherine's military service.

“I just thank God every day that you were able to help me - that roof was in bad shape.” We are proud to preserve homes for our veterans and other elderly and disabled members of our community. They pay it forward to another family.

Repair applications will open in September.

New Hardcore Volunteers- The Dynamic Duo

Jon and Jan Vair

"We moved to Pinehurst from Asheville in January 2023 because we were looking for somewhere a little warmer with year-round golf. Prior to retiring to Asheville, we spent most of our lives in Miami, FL where we were both attorneys and raised our two daughters. Our oldest just graduated from Davidson College and will attend NC State College of Veterinary Medicine in August. Our youngest will be a sophomore at Bryn Mawr College in the fall. We volunteer with Habitat because of the focus on unity and compassion and we enjoy working alongside the homeowners-in-progress and other volunteers."

~Jon & Jan Vair

Welcome Lamia!

A long overdue official welcome to Lamia! Lamia has been a huge help with grants and finance work at Habitat. We wanted to celebrate and welcome her with a little breakfast - but she ended up bringing this entire spread of homemade Moroccan treats! So delicious! Welcome to our Habitat family