Ribbon cutting set for the PEACH Apartments April 25

COMMUNITY NEWS

Chapel Hill—On Friday, April 25, 2025, at 11:00 AM, EMPOWERment Inc. will celebrate a significant step forward in affordable housing with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Pine Knolls EMPOWERment Affordable Community Housing (P.E.A.C.H.) Apartments, a 10-unit affordable housing initiative in downtown Chapel Hill. This groundbreaking project stands as a model for community-driven solutions to the housing crisis and was inspired by the vision of Dr. Ted Parris, Pine Knolls Community Board President.

The five African American women at the core of P.E.A.C.H., Delores Bailey, La Tanya Davis, Sarita Nwachukwu, Sharron Reid, and Valencia Thompson, combined have over 50 years of experience in community service and development. This is their first multi-family, multi-generational rental apartment building for essential workers earning 30% Area Median Income (AMI).

According to the recently released North Carolina Housing Supply Analysis and Economic Impact Report, Orange County faces an overall housing gap of 13,689 units—22.3% of its existing stock. This is the third largest shortage of any county in the state, behind only Chatham and Lee. Additionally, multifamily rental units are almost fully occupied, with long waitlists for affordable options. The P.E.A.C.H. Apartments reflect

EMPOWERMENT’s commitment is to directly address this crisis and ensure essential workers have access to quality, affordable housing in the community where they are employed. The complex offers many amenities, including handicap-accessible and ADA-compliant units. It is within walking distance of schools, shopping areas, and the hospital. With $3.9M fully raised, the project was completed debt-free.

“The P.E.A.C.H. Apartments will be a transformative force in the fight for affordable housing. This venture is a critical step toward making Chapel Hill and Orange County more accessible for all. EMPOWERment is unwavering in its commitment to creating more opportunities for rental housing,” said Delores Bailey, Executive Director.

Be part of this historic moment and the ongoing commitment to making Chapel Hill a more affordable, inclusive community for all! Join us on April 25 to celebrate this milestone in Chapel Hill’s path to housing equity. The program starts at 11:00 AM and will occur at 107 Johnson Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. Please RSVP by April 20 at: https://qrco.de/bfss9M. To donate or purchase a memorial brick to line the P.E.A.C.H. Rain Garden, visit: https://www.peachapartments.org/buy-a-brick. For more details about P.E.A.C.H. Apartments and other EI initiatives, visit empowermentinc.org.

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 Editor, she hopes to encourage writers of a wide range of backgrounds and interests in TLR’s coverage of Southern Orange County news. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocal Reporter.press.