Habitat for Humanity constructs affordable housing southeast of downtown Raleigh to help families

Habitat for Humanity is building its latest community southeast of downtown Raleigh to help families with difficulty finding affordable housing.

The nonprofit organization is in the process of building a brand new "Old Poole Place" that is aimed at lower-income residents. It will be a new neighborhood that'll eventually include 60 single-family homes and 45 townhomes near the intersection of Old Poole and Bethel Roads.

"There is so much need. One in four families cannot afford to house right now," said Patricia Burch, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.

While this development helps, she says it is just a single brick in the housing wall.

"So what this is doing, it is making a dent,” said Burch.

Steve McCullouch, whose daytime job is in communications, volunteers on the weekends for various Habitat for Humanity projects. He is passionate about participating in the construction of these homes.

"To see the houses going up, it is spectacular," said McCullouch.

However, this project has faced some challenges. Habitat announced the development in November 2022 but had to delay construction multiple times—a slow start for a significant project.

"This one is different because it is the largest development we have done from raw land," said Burch.

While it will not solve the housing crisis overnight, the thought of families stepping through these future front doors keeps these volunteers going.

Habitat for Humanity hopes to have the first houses completed by the end of June, and finishing the entire neighborhood will likely take three years.