City of Hickory creates affordable housing opportunities

HICKORY, NC (June 9, 2020) — Construction is currently underway on two affordable homes in a new subdivision developed by the City of Hickory.

The homes are being built in the Ridgeview community as part of Hickory’s new Affordable Housing Initiative.

Recognizing the need for affordable housing in the community, the City launched the initiative in early 2020 to utilize available HOME funding to construct affordable houses on vacant City-owned property. HOME is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households.

On January 21, Hickory City Council approved an agreement with the Unifour HOME Consortium and the Western Piedmont Council of Governments to use $300,000 of federal HOME funds to construct two affordable houses in a new subdivision.

Phase 1 of Ridgeview Subdivision includes four home sites at City-owned property located at 932 3rd Street Place SW in Hickory.

Notice to proceed with construction on the first two homes was given to contractors on April 1. Habitat for the Humanity of Catawba Valley is the contractor for the home being built on Lot 6. J & H Development is the contractor for the other home on Lot 7.

The target completion date for the first two homes is September 30.

Affordable houses in the Ridgeview Subdivision will available to households earning less than 80 percent of the area median income. Those interested in purchasing these homes must complete an application for eligibility, which is now available to download on the City of Hickory website.

For more information about Ridgeview Subdivision, please contact the Community Development Division at (828) 323-7414 or visit the Affordable Housing webpage at https://www.hickorync.gov/content/hickory-affordable-housing-initiative.