Open Hearts Place to begin Hildebran Switch site work in the new year

One Burke County nonprofit has recently beefed up its staff in preparation for 2026, a year that will come with more attainable housing in the eastern part of the county for low-income families, those in the workforce, and seniors.

Open Hearts Place, which was founded in 2020, has recently expanded its staff in preparation for the construction of Hildebran Switch, a soon-to-be pocket neighborhood with 44 homes situated on 6 acres in the Town of Hildebran. The homes will range in size from 600 to 1,300 square feet and will include anywhere from one to three-bedroom units.

The organization, which is based in Morganton, serves families experiencing financial hardship by providing homes and opportunities to increase life skills, gain stability, and become more self-sufficient. Their goal is to move hardworking families from financial uncertainty to a place of stability and homeownership.

Open Hearts Place has already built six homes for their program, which provides intermediate housing for families until they’re ready to transition into homeownership. Three of the homes are located off Hudson Street, which is adjacent to South Sterling Street behind St. Matthews United Methodist Church. The other three homes are located past Mull Elementary School.

“As we work to improve the financial stability of hardworking families through our programming, we are also aiming to increase the supply of attainable homes for purchase in Burke County,” said Madelyn Russ, executive director of Open Hearts Place.

The bulk of funding for the project has come from Open Hearts Place fundraisers, as well as from local foundations such as the Community Foundation of Burke County, some local family foundations, and the Western Piedmont Council of Governments. A grant from Dogwood Health Trust, a private foundation seeking to improve the health and well-being of people across western North Carolina, will help fund the site prep of phase one.

“We have two other grants coming up the first of the year that we’re hoping will complete the funding,” Russ said. “We are still raising money.”

The first phase of the project will include 20 single-family homes, but as the project progresses, Russ said Open Hearts Place may add duplexes and townhomes. Russ said the homes will be made more attainable through paid site work and infrastructure, allowing them to be priced for low- to moderate-income buyers earning between 80% and 120% of the area median income.

“In order to make housing affordable, the numbers just don’t add up if everything has to be paid by the homeowner,” Russ said. “So, our goal is for us to fund the infrastructure, and then the rest of the funding be individual mortgages.”

Site clearing for the project is expected to start in January, Russ said, adding that the contractor is waiting on an erosion control permit. Open Hearts Place will develop the neighborhood using modular homes.

“We will be doing very efficient, net-zero-ready modular homes,” Russ said, adding that the goal is to have the first four homes in place in 2026. “After that, we will be pre-selling, and we intend to just order over and over and over.” Four months from the time the contract is signed, the home will be move-in ready.

“We’re just trying to put the puzzle pieces together as far as funding so that the cost will be attainable for low-income working families, workforce, and seniors,” Russ said. Hildebran Switch will be used as a prototype for projects that the organization plans to complete throughout the county.

Three homes will be used for Open Hearts Place participants as they go through the program, Russ said. The nonprofit also connects buyers with support and resources, such as a lender that can best meet their needs, a first-time homebuyer’s course, and/or programs to assist with down payments.

“The goal is for our families to move on to homeownership, but the challenge is right now, there’s not a lot of affordable homes for sale in Burke County, and that’s why we decided to move to this next phase and build attainable housing,” Russ said.

The organization has been beefed up recently, with a two-year grant from Dogwood Health Trust. Open Hearts Place now employs a full-time program director, while the executive director is a volunteer position. With the grant, the organization has invested in contract positions to support its marketing and communications efforts, evaluate and improve its organizational development, create a five-year strategic plan, and strengthen its fundraising program.

Russ encouraged anyone interested in purchasing a home to first determine whether they are ready to take on the responsibility of a mortgage. She added that Open Hearts Place can help people through the process by calling the organization at 828-430-0417.

“If they need to work on their debt, or work on their savings, whatever they need to be working on, then we can give them some resources for that,” Russ said.