Organization works to bring affordable housing to the Concord area

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A mother and her children just received the keys to their new home in Concord with help from a local reality company.

Pamela Battle said it was her dream to move back and raise her children in the area after living in Greensboro for the last two years.

Battle said she had to relocate due to work. “What I get paid. Where I work is not enough to pay the rent here in Cabarrus County,” Battle told Channel 9.

That was until Battle’s realtor found her future home online, which happened to be the first one listed on the market from We Build Concord.

We Build Concord is a new non-profit that is working to get more affordable housing in Cabarrus County.

ALSO READ: City leaders approve spending $23M on affordable housing projects

“The real goal for us is over the next two years, we want to develop at least 90 to 120 units or either purchase plots for future development,” We Build Concord CEO Patrick Graham said.

Graham said families can qualify for a home if they make under 80% of the area median income. For a family of three, that’s $67,000 a year.

This house actually appraises for $282,000, with down payment assistance hopefully we’ll have her mortgage somewhere around $170,000,” Graham explained.

That means Battle will now pay $1,300 a month, something she said she can afford, and that will also be good for her family.

“It’ll be a 15-minute commute now, so I can get here. I can go to my children’s afterschool functions,” Battle explained.

We Build Concord said this is the first home it has completed but is in the process of creating 60 more units. The organization began its affordable housing initiative in 2019.

You can learn more here.

VIDEO: City leaders approve spending $23M on affordable housing projects