Sandhills Habitat for Humanity buys 100 acres of land for workforce housing
MOORE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A community in Moore County is expected to see some dramatic changes in the next decade. That's because the area's Habitat for Humanity chapter just bought 100 acres of land for workforce housing.
Habitat for Humanity's Sandhills office said it closed on the land that runs between Highway 15-501 and Pee Dee Road in April. Next Wednesday, Habitat will begin talks with employers interested in investing in housing for prospective employees that may subsidize units. It's expected that between 400 to 600 families will eventually be able to live in the area.
"We will not only be doing our traditional single-family detached dwellings, but we also anticipate doing townhomes, duplexes, maybe even rental units that will be perhaps at a market rate for some of those employers that are trying to seek a solution that isn't something we already offer," says Amie Fraley, the Sandhills office executive director.
Sandhills Habitat said it bought the land from a private owner. This land will enable its division to continue building for at least another 10 to 15 years.
"We're hoping that it's going to help support the area and growing the projected growth in the area," said Farrah Newman, the director of programs for the Sandhills Habitat. "Right now, it's 2% at minimum for the next five to 10 years. And with that, you need to build at least a minimum of 600 units a year to keep up with that growth."
Victoria Lopez got her home from Habitat for herself and her six children in 2013 after a divorce. She said projects like these are transforming lives and building community.
"Women that I didn't even know decided they wanted to help build my home and do fundraising," she said. "So it's very rewarding and it helps not just the homeowner, the parent, but it helps the next generation."
The land purchased in Moore County was made possible after MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Jeff Bezos, donated about $3.5 million to Sandhills Habitat about a year ago.
