Hello friends,
As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year unlike any other in the history of Asheville and western North Carolina. It’s hard to believe that only three months have passed since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on our homes, communities, and region. Despite the devastation and tragic loss of many lives across the region, we’ve witnessed remarkable resilience, bravery, and compassion as our community united to support one another. Personally, I am deeply grateful for our incredible team, who have led extraordinary relief and recovery efforts in communities severely impacted by Helene.
In 2025, we invite you to envision a more resilient region, one with abundant and well-located affordable housing resources. As I shared in my letter to you following Hurricane Helene, the road towards long-term recovery is long and difficult. Yet even in the face of extraordinary challenges, we are inspired by stories of resilience, perseverance, and hope. We had the chance to share a few of these stories at Building Hope in November, and we hope you’ll pass these stories on to your neighbors.
Back in May, we shared our 2024 Development Pipeline. In 2024, MHO:
- Completed over 170 Essential Home Repair (EHR) projects.
- Broke ground on Lakeshore Villas, a 120-unit affordable housing community in Arden, North Carolina.
- Assembled financing for 264 new affordable apartments across three sites, began the effort to preserve 300 existing affordable apartments on seven sites and cultivated a planning pipeline for potentially 670 additional new affordable rental and 115 new homeownership units across 6 new development sites
- Managed construction of the final 6 homes in an Enka-Candler neighborhood called Spring Garden. The final home’s walls were raised in December this year.
Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. We encourage you to support MHO with a gift this season to fuel our affordable housing programs year-round. Your donation stays local and helps create, repair, and preserve affordable homes right here in western North Carolina. This year, we hope you consider directing your donation to our Hurricane Helene Housing Recovery Fund, which directly supports resident emergency assistance, rental assistance, essential home repair, and long-term housing recovery.
As we have for the past 36 years of our organization’s history, we will remain steadfast in our mission to build hope and dignity for those we serve. Together, let’s carry this spirit forward and continue to rebuild hope in 2025 and beyond.
Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!
With deep gratitude,
Geoffrey Barton,
President & CEO
