View this email in your browser.

At DHIC, we recognize that partnership is key to expanding affordable housing. Milner Commons in Raleigh is a powerful reflection of this - showcasing what’s possible when mission and collaboration align.

This month, we were proud to celebrate the opening of this 156-unit community for older adults, created on the former site of Milner Memorial Presbyterian Church. In partnership with Kintura and the Presbytery of New Hope, this development transformed underutilized land into a vibrant, service-enriched community where residents can age with dignity and stability.

Milner Commons is part of a growing movement of faith-based partnerships across North Carolina and beyond - where congregations are reimagining their properties as an extension of their commitment to serve. These collaborations demonstrate the potential to create lasting impact, aligning shared values with innovative housing solutions that meet the needs of today while building stronger communities for the future. Thank you to our generous sponsors for supporting this development, and the future of housing affordability in our community.

This March we also attended the 2026 ULI Carolinas Meeting in Raleigh and joined real estate professionals from across the Carolinas for two days of insights and forward-looking conversations shaping the future of our communities.

President Yolanda Winstead participated in a Mobile Bus Tour, highlighting our Washington Terrace and Milner Commons developments, and SVP of Real Estate Development Natalie Britt spoke on a panel about broadening partnerships to deliver affordable housing.

Industry News

A new report from the North Carolina Housing Coalition highlights the growing urgency of housing affordability challenges in Wake County. According to the 2026 Housing Need assessment, 28% of households in the county are cost-burdened - spending more than 30% of their income on housing.

The data underscores the disproportionate impact on renters, with nearly half struggling to afford their homes, alongside rising pressures for homeowners. As housing costs continue to outpace wages, the report points to broader community impacts, including increased evictions and housing instability.

Findings like these reinforce the critical need for continued investment, cross-sector collaboration, and innovative solutions to ensure that all residents have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Development Updates

MacGregor Village, an 80-unit affordable housing community in Greenville, and Bay River, a 20-unit affordable housing community in Bayboro, will be undergoing substantive rehabilitation in the coming months. Thanks to funding from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency’s Rental Preservation Loan Program, these communities will receive much-needed renovations, to include new cabinets, countertops, and flooring, new appliances and HVAC components, improved ADA accessibility, and more. Partners Community Management Corporation, Delck Group, Tise-Kiester Architects, Weaver Cooke Construction, Parker General Contractors, and Stocks Engineering were instrumental in bringing these projects to fruition. Rehabilitation at both properties will be completed within the next 12 months.

We are also pleased to report the near completion of SECU the Sparrow, our third consulting endeavor with the Good Shepherd Center (GSC) in Wilmington, NC. SECU the Sparrow is GSC's newest Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) community for chronically homeless individuals with significant disabilities in Wilmington, NC.

The property is comprised of thirty-two (32), one-bedroom units in a three-story elevator building on Carolina Beach Road. Residents will have access to a variety of community spaces including a multi-purpose room, a community room with a kitchen for group meals, a computer lab with Internet access, porches, and an outdoor courtyard. GSC's supportive service staff and community partners will provide appropriate, regular group programming in these spaces, including: life skills training, recreational activities, and social events. Residents will be encouraged to enjoy these spaces independently when not reserved for programming, Tenant Council meetings, or resident gatherings. The building will also house private office space for case management, housing management, and mobile health visits by GSC’s nurse or partnering hospital provider. 

The one-acre parcel on which the building is located was donated by the City of Wilmington for the purpose of increasing the supply of PSH in Wilmington. The City of Wilmington also provided $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support the community, in addition to a $2 million dollar grant from the SECU Foundation, and $2,915,714 Supportive Housing American Rescue Plan (SHARP) Program funds from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Fifteen (15) project based rental vouchers were allocated to SECU the Sparrow by the Wilmington Housing Authority. 

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Copyright © 2025 DHIC, Inc., All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you have supported DHIC's mission to provide safe, quality affordable housing to families and seniors in the Triangle region of North Carolina.