COMMUNITY
By Michelle Cassell
Managing Editor
PEACH a long-awaited affordable housing project by EMPOWERment, Inc. had its official groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday morning at 107 Johnson St.
(left to right) Tai Huynh, Chapel Hill Town Council Member;Delores Bailey, EMPOWERment Executive Director; Paris Foushee, Chapel Hill Town Council Member and educator Alean Fearington. Photo by Laurie Paolicelli.
PEACH stands for Pine Knolls EMPOWERment Affordable Community Housing. It is dedicated to people earning 30 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI).
EMPOWERment was able to raise enough money to cover the construction of the apartment buildings and build it debt-free to keep the rents affordable for its tenants.
“This is just the beginning,” said Bailey. “I don’t see anything that can stop us from building more apartments.” Find out more about PEACH Apartments by clicking here .
Michelle Cassell is a seasoned reporter who has covered everything from crime to hurricanes and local politics to human interest over the course of 35 years. As managing editor, she hopes to encourage writers of a wide range of backgrounds and interests in TLR’s coverage of Southern Orange County news.
I’ve followed the Peach Apts development for over 2 years. It’s appalling to me that there is such celebration about the only apt complex built in decades, consisting of only 10 units, for the 30% & lower AMI population in our area. I’m a legally physically disabled person,72 yrs old & am completely dependent on federal benefits of $16,500/yr, which puts me in the 30% & below AMI. Since 2010 I have never had housing assistance & have always had to pay full rent. I spent 9 mos from Nov ’22 through 07/23 trying to find a safe & decent rental I could afford. I couldn’t – I’m paying $1100/mo before utilities for a 625 sq ft basement efficiency. I’ve dealt w/ every low-inc hsg apt, public hsg apt complexes, etc & there was nothing available. HUD-subsidized apt complexes have min inc requirements. Peach Apts will only house 10 impoverished people/families. CH didn’t help w/ financing it. There should be an expose of the failure of CH/CB to create decent affordable hsg for our area’s poor,aging, disabled populations! Shame on CH/CB!