CARY, NC – Construction crews are clearing and grading the site for new affordable housing units in downtown Cary made possible by a partnership between the Town of Cary and Wake County governments. When complete in Fall 2001, the four single-family detached units will be made available to government workers, teachers, and others struggling to find homes they can afford to purchase near their places of employment.

In January 2000, officials demolished two dangerous, abandoned houses at 313 and 317 Hunter Street and launched an 18-month partnership to replace them with new, moderately priced housing.

Wake County spent $120,000 in federal community development resources to purchase the site and demolish the structures.

Neighborhood meetings were held by the Town of Cary to solicit advice on the type of housing that would be acceptable to existing residents, and the input was used to draft a request for development proposals, which was issued to builders and developers. Of the six responses received, DHIC, Inc., a Raleigh nonprofit, was selected to develop the property. Wake County then sold the property to DHIC with the restriction that DHIC sell the homes to moderate-income families who are first time buyers.

"This work fits in with Town Council goals as stated in both the Town Center Area Plan (TCAP) and the Affordable Housing Plan," said Town of Cary Housing Planner Shawn McNamara.

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