Press release from Mountain Housing Opportunities:
Accessing safe, stable, affordable housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing residents of western North Carolina. Asheville in particular has the highest cost of living in the state. In Buncombe County alone, over half of the county’s renter residents are housing cost-burdened, meaning they spend over 30% of their household income on rent.
Mountain Housing Opportunities is pleased to announce a $750,000 unrestricted operating grant from Dogwood Health Trust in support of MHO’s affordable housing services. This investment comes at a critical time as MHO works to scale our current programs and launch innovations to meet the need for affordable housing across western North Carolina. While MHO has received larger capital grants (funding dedicated specifically to construction, acquisition, or preservation projects), this is the largest unrestricted operating grant received in MHO history.
“We are grateful and proud to receive a grant of this size and this level of flexibility from Dogwood Health Trust and we are already putting it to good use,” said Geoffrey Barton, MHO’s President and CEO. “In addition to supporting general costs of operations, this grant will help us continue expanding our Down Payment Assistance Program to provide pathways to affordable homeownership. It will also help us better serve residents of MHO’s affordable rental communities by providing start-up funds for onsite service navigation.”
Mountain Housing Opportunities has received several critical capital and capacity-building grants from Dogwood Health Trust since 2020, including funding for new affordable apartments and homeownership communities. MHO gratefully acknowledges the staff and board of directors of Dogwood Health Trust for their continued support and collaboration.
About Mountain Housing Opportunities
Founded in 1988 by volunteers, Mountain Housing Opportunities is the regional nonprofit leader in developing and preserving safe, stable, and affordable housing in Buncombe County and beyond. MHO serves more than 2,000 households each year in western North Carolina through affordable rental homes, essential home repair, the construction and sale of new affordable homes, and down payment assistance. MHO’s mission is to build and improve homes, neighborhoods, communities, and lives, and build hope and dignity in the people we serve. MHO operates as a CHDO and CDFI. Learn more at www.mtnhousing.org.
About Dogwood Health Trust
Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and well-being of all people and communities of 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and well-being. With a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness, Dogwood Health Trust works to create a western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn, and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all — no exceptions. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.
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