Habitat for Humanity, Orange County, NC

You may have heard we partner with households making up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), but what does that mean in practice?

In Orange County this year, 80% of AMI for a household of one is $71,200. For a household of four, it’s $101,700. This means the average school teacher, paramedic, veterinary technician, mail carrier, HVAC mechanic, guidance counselor, interpreter, pharmacy technician, or administrative assistant in our area makes a salary that may qualify them for our programs, which include:

🏠 Mortgage-Ready Program
An affordable path to homeownership for those ready to buy their first home. Applications open on a rolling basis as homes are built. As of June 1, 2026, applications are open for seven homes in our Weavers Grove community!

📑 Financial Coaching Program
Coming soon: one-on-one support to improve credit, reduce debt, and build long-term financial stability to prepare for homeownership.

🛠️ Home Preservation Program
Critical repairs and accessibility modifications for homeowners in the county making up to 80% AMI – not just those in Habitat homes!

Learn more about our work and how you can get involved at orangehabitat.org.

We’re excited to announce the launch of Pope Leo Village, an initiative made possible by an anonymous donor inspired by Pope Leo’s vision of community, service, and shared humanity. This generous contribution will help fund the construction of eight new townhomes within our Weavers Grove neighborhood in Chapel Hill.

Orange Habitat is one of 20 Habitat affiliates selected to participate in this national initiative, including Habitat for Humanity Greater Raleigh, Habitat for Humanity Chicago, Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, Habitat for Humanity Portland Region, Habitat Saint Louis, and more.

The project also aims to inspire new and increased philanthropic investment in affordable housing and draw young people into meaningful, hands-on service. In that spirit, we hope to actively engage student volunteers from UNC-Chapel Hill and local high schools as well as volunteers from local faith communities.

Construction of the first three townhomes is slated to begin in June 2026, and we expect to break ground on the remaining five in September.

Once complete, the homes will be purchased by people living and working in Orange County who complete Orange Habitat’s homeownership program, providing long-term stability and the life-changing benefits of affordable homeownership.

More info: orangehabitat.org/pope-leo-village

Our friends at EMPOWERment Inc. are hosting this free, virtual workshop next month! Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhgjDy8BnCjXzp7lenll_B1XAUE_GXU6Na9LV5hlnxKK-B9w/viewform

🏡 For 30 years, EMPOWERment Inc. has been helping families build stronger futures — and programs like our Homebuyer’s Education Workshop are made possible through community support and donations. ❤️

If homeownership feels out of reach, this workshop is designed to help you take that first step with confidence. Learn about credit, mortgages, down payment assistance, and more from the comfort of home. 🔑

📅 June 13 | ⏰ 9 AM–3 PM | 💻 Virtual

Scan the QR code to register and help us continue creating opportunities that empower families for generations to come.

Congress is on the verge of passing bipartisan legislation that will increase affordable housing access, and you can help get it across the finish line by encouraging your senators and representatives to support it!

Habitat for Humanity makes it easy to contact your members of Congress. Add your voice to the movement here:

Call for bipartisan action on housing! Let’s call on Congress to finalize legislation to support affordable homeownership.

At last month, our staff joined nearly 200 advocates from across the state to push for meaningful investments and policy solutions that expand access to safe, affordable housing.

Orange Habitat Grants & Advocacy Coordinator Jack Spencer met with Representative Renee Price for NC House and Senator Jonah Garson for North Carolina to discuss the work we’re already doing in their districts as well as legislation that would fund affordable housing.

In North Carolina, 29% of households are considered cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Here in Orange County, the percentage is even higher – 33% of our 55,858 households are cost-burdened.

The state legislature has a critical role to play in creating solutions to this affordability crisis. We were grateful for the opportunity to add our voice to this important conversation in Raleigh: thank you to the North Carolina Housing Coalition, Habitat for Humanity of North Carolina, the North Carolina Community Land Trust Coalition, and North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness for hosting NC Housing Day 2026!

Help protect Hillsborough waterways by joining us for a planting day on Odie Street next Friday, May 15!

We finished our new construction projects on Odie Street in Hillsborough a few years ago, but we're still in the neighborhood helping our bioswales and stormwater treatment swales take root. These shallow ditches help channel stormwater runoff, filter pollutants, and improve the quality of nearby waterways.

Shift Details:
🌱 Friday, May 15
🕘 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
📍 Odie Street, Hillsborough
🪏 Ages 14+ welcome

👉 Sign up here: https://orangehabitat.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/009aa412-a65f-4572-882e-7c062ee0de6a

This ongoing project is a partnership between the Town of Hillsborough, NC Government, the Fairview Community Watch, NC State, and the Piedmont Conservation Council. Learn more: https://www.resilienceexchange.nc.gov/identify-actions/success-stories/hillsborough-builds-bioswales-manage-stormwater

Scenes from the in Atlanta, where more than 1,000 volunteers have gathered to build 24 homes in five days. Orange Habitat CEO, Jennifer Player, and Construction Operations Manager, Jesús Gutierrez, were among them! 🏠🔨❤️

The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, now in its 40th year, has mobilized more than 109,600 volunteers to build, repair, and renovate homes. This year's project takes place in Atlanta Habitat for Humanity & ReStore's new Langston Park neighborhood.

Throughout their decades-long involvement with the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, President Carter and Mrs. Carter were tireless advocates, active fundraisers, and dedicated hands-on construction volunteers.

We're grateful for the opportunity to represent Orange Habitat at this special event!

(P.S. You can catch a glimpse of Jesús on the news here: https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/06/habitat-humanitys-50th-anniversary-rosalynn-carter-work-project-atlanta/ #)

📷: Jennifer Player and Jesús Gutierrez

Housing affordability continues to be one of the most urgent issues facing North Carolinians, and we were proud to be part of the conversation at an advocacy day at the General Assembly last week hosted by the North Carolina Housing Coalition, Habitat for Humanity of North Carolina, NC Community Land Trust Coalition, and North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness.

Staff from Orange Habitat joined nearly 200 advocates from across the state to push for meaningful investments and policy solutions that expand access to safe, affordable housing.

Read more about the day and the policy discussions:

Housing advocates meet with NC lawmakers on affordability, reappraisal moratorium bill "A supply of housing that is affordable to folks who make 80% area median income or below is almost nonexistent."

Join us for our next Women Build volunteer workday: no construction experience required! 💗🔨We'll gather on Saturday, May 16 at Weaver's Grove, our neighborhood in northern Chapel Hill. All are welcome, regardless of gender identity or expression.

:::: Timing ::::
You can sign up for the morning shift (8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) and/or the afternoon shift (12-4 p.m.). From 12-1 p.m., the two shifts will overlap for an hour of celebration with lunch provided by Orange Habitat!

:::: Registration Details ::::
Pre-registration is required to make sure our construction crew can supervise and support every volunteer on site. Volunteers must be 16 or older; those under 18 must have a completed Parent & Guardian Waiver on file before their shift.

🔗 Learn more and register at https://www.orangehabitat.org/events/women-build-workday-and-celebration.

:::: About Women Build ::::
Women Build celebrates the vital role women play in construction, the trades, and affordable housing. Since 1991, Women Build volunteers at Habitat for Humanity affiliates have come together from all walks of life to build stronger, safer communities. Anyone who wants to learn how to build or repair a home is invited to join.

P.S. Can't make it on the 16th? You can still support this special program by making a gift directly to Women Build! Visit https://www.orangehabitat.org/womenbuildgive to give today.

A walking trail was built into the plans of our Weavers Grove neighborhood in Chapel Hill, and it's nearly complete! The roughly one-mile loop winds around the neighborhood and through surrounding woods. 👣🌳

Last Saturday, residents and Habitat staff joined FFORC - Food, Fitness, and Opportunity Research Collaborative to put out new signs that will serve as trail markers and encourage walking. The signs' messages are translated into languages spoken by Weavers Grove residents: English, Spanish, Karen, Burmese, and Arabic. This program was part of FFORC’s Weave Your Way initiative, which aims to encourage active transportation (walking, biking, and public transit) in the community.

When complete, Weavers Grove will feature 225 single-family homes, townhomes, and condos. 102 of those will be Habitat homes, and the rest are being sold on the open market. Some are already sold and occupied, and others are just coming on the market! 👀 Learn more at weaversgrove.org.