At its March 9, 2020 meeting, the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners authorized the conveyance of 14.36 acres of county-owned property to Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity for a workforce housing development.
The property at at 3101 Castle Hayne Road, Castle Hayne, North Carolina will provide space for Habitat to build 30+ homes.
“New Hanover County is committed to improving access to, and availability of, affordable housing in our community,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet. “Most recently, Commissioners conveyed four county-owned pieces of land to Cape Fear Habitat and supported Habitat by funding the extension of water and sewer service to their new housing development off Gordon Road. This 14-acre conveyance is another step in aiding Habitat’s mission, which is good for our community and for our workforce.”
In 2018, the county established a Property Conveyance for Workforce Housing Policy, to allow for the conveyance of county-owned land to qualified nonprofits who have been in existence for at least two years, with a core mission to provide workforce housing. Properties conveyed under this policy must be developed with owner-occupied, taxable housing.
“This generous land donation by New Hanover County Commissioners will allow us to build a development with at least 30 new, affordable homes in the Wrightsboro area,” said Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Steve Spain. “We make it our mission at Habitat to create affordable homeownership opportunities for our neighbors who earn between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income, and we couldn’t accomplish what we do without valuable community partnerships, like New Hanover County.”
The potential for a workforce housing development on this site was first discussed by Commissioners at the Spring 2019 joint county/city workshop on housing. In addition to the developable land for Habitat, the site also includes 1.5 acres that will remain county-owned for a possible future fire station.
With the property authorization, Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity will be responsible for extending water and sewer utilities to the site and making any required sewer connections to existing homes. Habitat will also ensure that the stormwater infrastructure constructed for the residential subdivision is sized, designed, and permitted to incorporate all required stormwater controls for the future fire station, with all necessary easements, permissions, and off-site stormwater agreements granted.
For more information, visit www.capefearhabitat.org.
Source: Jessica Loeper, New Hanover County Government
