Our team is so excited to see progress on a new construction project that will support Helene survivors in their effort to find their new, forever home.
"It was such a privilege to attend this groundbreaking," said Sarah Roth, Senior Director, Community Resiliency at United Way ABC, and Interim Executive Director, Buncombe County Long-Term Recovery Group. "Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders has been a leader in rebuilding after the storm. United Way is proud to be a small part of their work as a funder. The Buncombe County Long-Term Recovery Group is grateful for their continued commitment to this region and for helping our neighbors not just recover, but come back more resilient. This development offers so much hope for our community and will provide affordable housing for generations to come."
Heartwood Village Commemorates Construction of 50 Affordable homes for Helene survivors and working families in Black Mountain
From the Valley Echo:
Shovels filled with red soil were pulled from a mound of clay, Oct. 27, as representatives from ROOTS Community Land Trust, established by Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders, celebrated the groundbreaking of a project designed to provide stability for area families displaced by Hurricane Helene.
The ceremony, held on 10 acres of land along Blue Ridge in Black Mountain, commemorated the construction of Heartwood Village, which will offer 20 single-family homes and 30 duplexes to qualified buyers otherwise priced out of the housing market.
The community land trust model provides access to home ownership with a renewable 99-year ground lease. The nonprofit organization leverages volunteer labor to reduce building costs, allowing buyers to purchase the houses and build equity. Homeowners in the trust are eligible to retain a share of the profit if they sell the structure, or pass it down to financially qualified heirs.
The goal is keep homeownership within reach for generations of the “missing middle” in Western N.C., according to ROOTS Director of Operations Nathan West.
“The folks who lost everything and qualify for nothing. Families who lived here for generation on family land and it’s gone; moms and dads who work two or three jobs just to put a roof over their family’s heads; the young people who grew up and want to stay and raise their kids here. These are the people who helped rebuild this town after the storm, but can’t buy a house in it,” he said. “They earn too much to qualify for most housing help, but nowhere near enough to compete in this market.”
Twenty-one partners, including the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, U.S.A., the United Way Asheville and Buncombe County and the N.C. Community Foundation, are supporting the efforts of ROOTS and Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders.
To date, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County has invested $100,000 in Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders' work through the Helene Fund and has distributed more than $5.5M across Buncombe County overall.