Burke Realtors donate $8K to Hildebran Switch housing project

To help address Burke County’s housing shortage and support local families in need, the Burke County Board of REALTORS ® has awarded $8,000 to Open Hearts Place, the nonprofit behind the upcoming Hildebran Switch housing development in Hildebran.

The funding will help cover infrastructure costs for Phase One of the 44-home project, including water, sewer, and utility installation. After receiving the check Tuesday afternoon, Open Hearts Place Executive Director Madelyn Russ said the nonprofit has now secured its erosion control permit, allowing crews to break ground within the next week or so.

The contribution includes a $4,000 matching grant through the NC REALTORS® Housing Foundation, paired with a $4,000 contribution from the BCBOR®.

“We appreciate it so much,” Russ said. “Every penny counts and it’s very neat that the board worked at the local and state level with a nonprofit to make something like this happen.”

The development is designed to provide more housing for working families earning roughly 60% to 120% of the area median income. The modular homes will be placed on 6 acres and range in price from a low of $175,000 to no more than $250,000. Three of the homes will be used for the Open Hearts Place Program, which provides hardworking families with affordable rental housing and programming to achieve long-term financial stability and homeownership.

The first phase of homes will be single-family, though Russ noted that the nonprofit will assess the needs of the community once it’s complete.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the BCBOR® Board of Directors approved the use of $20,000 in assistance to aid Burke County residents whose homes were damaged by the storm. Of that amount, $16,000 was distributed directly to aid residents in need, with much of the funds going to residents on Creekside Drive, according to Ronnie Thompson, Morganton mayor and president of the BCBOR®.

After allowing time for any additional applications for assistance, the board voted to dedicate the remaining funds toward long-term housing recovery initiatives in the area.

The board identified Hildebran Switch as an ideal fit for the funds because of the project’s direct impact on local housing needs, according to Beth Hensley, association executive for the BCBOR®.

Open Hearts Place has also kept the board closely informed throughout the planning process, Thompson said, including sharing schematic designs for the development.

“They’re doing some good work in eastern Burke County,” Thompson said.