Birch & Branch Apartments: Expanding Affordable Housing in a Growing Raleigh Community

The Need for Affordable Housing

The number of individuals who cannot afford a comfortable and safe place to call home has reached a record high. The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that there is currently a shortage of more than 7.1 million affordable homes for the nation’s more than 10.9 million extremely low-income households. The burden of this shortage is far-reaching and has a lasting economic and social impact on individuals and communities. The development of affordable housing benefits the economy and helps communities thrive. Research shows that affordable housing encourages social connection, reduces overcrowding, attracts businesses with job opportunities, and lowers crime rates.

Project Overview

Birch and Branch Apartments

By The Numbers

In Raleigh, North Carolina, where growth continues to reshape neighborhoods and increase housing demand, the need for high-quality affordable housing has never been more urgent. Birch & Branch Apartments is a newly constructed rental community featuring 180 units serving households earning between 30% and 70% of Area Median Income. This helps ensure that working families, individuals, and seniors have access to stable, accessible housing in an ever-evolving market.

Developed by Oppidan Incorporated, Birch & Branch consists of seven new garden-style buildings offering a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 792 to 1,216 square feet. The development team is further strengthened by another experienced partner, Excel Property Management LLC, a seasoned property management group with experience managing more than 40 CAHEC investments.

Project Impact

Designed with both function and livability in mind, Birch & Branch features a dedicated community center housing management offices, a fitness room, a computer lab, laundry facilities, and a flexible community space. Amenities are intended to support daily life and foster connection among residents, including a clubhouse, a playground, partly funded by one of CAHEC's Partner Grants, grilling areas, bike storage, covered outdoor gathering spaces, and community Wi-Fi.

With strong site fundamentals, experienced development and management partners, and a clear commitment to affordability, Birch & Branch Apartments delivers more than just housing. It represents a stable, well-integrated community that expands opportunity for working families while positively impacting Raleigh and the surrounding areas for years to come.

What is LIHTC?

Created by Congress as part of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) generates private capital investment used to finance the construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for households earning on average 60 percent or less of the area median income. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, the housing tax credit is "widely regarded as the most successful housing production and preservation program in the nation's history." Since being enacted, the LIHTC program has helped develop more than 3.5 million affordable housing units.

In addition to providing safe, decent, and affordable housing for working-class families and seniors on limited incomes, the economic impact of the LIHTC program is visible in communities throughout the country. The development of affordable housing increases spending and employment in the local economy. Moreover, affordable housing can affect an employer's ability to attract and retain employees. LIHTC investment plays a significant role in community revitalization, which in turn can improve economic opportunities for local residents.

Who is CAHEC?

CAHEC is a community development organization based in Raleigh, NC, and Columbia, SC, that offers housing and life-changing opportunities to residents throughout its Southeast and Mid-Atlantic footprint. CAHEC's product areas include investing in low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, new markets tax credits, and renewable energy credits. Additionally, CAHEC provides loan programs, wellness and education initiatives for residents, affordable housing development, and property management services.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider