Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) is pleased to announce a $100,000 unrestricted grant from NeighborWorks America to support its affordable housing and community development initiatives in Asheville and across Western North Carolina. These funds will enable MHO to continue investing in the development and preservation of affordable housing and to strengthen community recovery efforts following Tropical Storm Helene, a disaster that further strained the region’s already limited affordable housing stock.
This grant is in addition to a $175,000 disaster relief award received in November 2024, demonstrating NeighborWorks’ strong support for the region. That earlier funding was among the first federal resources to reach Western North Carolina following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Helene, playing a vital role in stabilizing communities and advancing recovery efforts. NeighborWorks America’s continued commitment enables MHO to support and implement locally driven, impactful solutions in affordable housing, economic development, and community revitalization.
“The new award announced this week not only builds on their early support following Tropical Storm Helene, but also significantly enhances our ability to preserve and create more affordable homes in a region where housing needs continue to outpace availability,” said Geoffrey Barton, President & CEO of Mountain Housing Opportunities. “With partners like NeighborWorks America, we can continue turning recovery into lasting opportunity for families and neighborhoods across the communities we serve.”
This award is part of NeighborWorks America’s final round of 2025 grant distributions, totaling $13 million nationwide to advance disaster recovery, affordable housing, and community revitalization. MHO is one of nearly 250 nonprofit organizations in the NeighborWorks network working to expand access to safe, stable, and affordable homes while promoting resilient, thriving communities.
“The historic flooding in Western North Carolina upended lives, and recovery is ongoing,” said Marietta Rodriguez, president & CEO of NeighborWorks America. “Nonprofits are often early responders in a crisis, but they’re also there for the long haul. As disasters continue to increase in both cost and scale, we feel fortunate to use some of our Congressional funding to provide aid to network organizations that know exactly where it’s needed the most. We are grateful to the North Carolina congressional delegation, including Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Ted Budd, and Rep. Chuck Edwards, for their support.”
For nearly 50 years, NeighborWorks America and its national network have played a leading role in expanding and preserving affordable housing across the United States. With a long record of bipartisan support in Congress, NeighborWorks America continues to be a proven, transparent, and effective steward of federal investment. Each $1 in taxpayer funding generates, on average, $71 in additional investment, leveraging resources that create real and lasting impact in communities nationwide. MHO has been a long-standing, chartered member of the NeighborWorks network since 2008.