UNC Chapel Hill helps affordable housing project in Maysville

MAYSVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - A university is stepping up to help an affordable housing project in the East move forward.

Soon a field on Jenkins Avenue will be home to a 40-unit affordable housing complex called White Oak Landing. With the cost of housing on the rise - one resident says this will meet a huge need.

“It’s pretty hard looking for somewhere to live,” said Maysville resident Jared Howett. “There’s not a lot to choose from around here. We are in an urban community, and if you find something it’s usually $1500. You can’t afford that around here, so it’s a big problem around here.”

A program through the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill will be supporting the project by extending its resources to Maysville and a variety of other counties throughout the state.

The program is helping 22 counties in total with affordable housing projects. In Eastern Carolina - they’ll also be assisting Carteret County in addition to Jones County.

Howett says he’s interested in moving into one of the units once it’s finished and says he’s been living with his brother to make ends meet.

“We got a house together,” said Howett. “I pay $600 by myself and he pays the other half. It is $1200 a month, then we have to pay for utilities and trash. It’s not too much doing it that way either.”

White Oak Landing has had to overcome some setbacks. In October, the funding for it was redirected to Hurricane Helene relief. A few months later - it was brought back after Senate Bill 382 became law.

Now - with the help of UNC Chapel Hill, Maysville Town Manager Schumata Brown says they have what they need to begin.

“You see it all over the state where somebody came up with a unique project,” said Brown. “We are hoping to bring that to the community.”

While this project has been in the works for some time, Brown says he’s excited to see it move forward.

“It brings a sense of hope,” said Brown. “We are striving to help our community, citizens and our neighbors have somewhere affordable to live.”

The project will begin in June and will be finished in 18 months.