RALEIGH— Three developments and one organization have been honored with North Carolina’s top awards for excellence in affordable housing. This year’s Housing North Carolina Award winners provide permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, life-changing repairs and modifications for homeowners and affordable apartment homes for working families and seniors.
The 2026 Housing North Carolina Awards celebrates its 37th year by distinguishing affordable housing accomplishments in the following categories: community impact, creative partnerships and innovation in housing. Awards were presented by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency at each property and the winners will participate in a special awards panel at the 2026 NC Affordable Housing Conference in Raleigh on October 22. This year’s awardees are:
Community Impact
King’s Ridge, Raleigh, is a 100-unit permanent supportive housing community developed to reduce unsheltered homelessness in the city of Raleigh by 10% through a single, targeted investment. Completed in January 2025, this property provides long-term, affordable housing for families and individuals experiencing homelessness, responding directly to one of the community’s most acute housing needs.
Contact: Matt Ansley, business unit executive, ISG, 919-835-1500
Housing Assistance Corporation Home Repair, Hendersonville, represents a comprehensive, people-centered approach to preserving affordable housing in Western North Carolina, rooted in the belief that safe, stable and sanitary housing is foundational to individual and community well-being. This work prioritizes the lived experience of residents, meeting homeowners where they are, building trust and ensuring each intervention reflects both immediate needs and long-term stability.
Contact: Margaret Fenton Lebeck, CEO, Housing Assistance Corporation, 828-692-4744 ext. 109
Creative Partnerships
Valley River Apartments, Murphy, is a 56-unit multi-family residential community developed in broad collaboration with local and regional partners. Aiming to address the critical housing deficit in the Cherokee County area, these new apartments have become a durable, community-strengthening asset that have stabilized the local rural workforce and provided affordable housing to more than 150 people.
Contact: Joy Strassel, executive director, Western NC Housing Partnership, 828-279-2654
Innovation in Housing
Milner Commons, Raleigh, transformed underutilized church property into a welcoming and affordable community for seniors, offering 156 affordable apartments across two residential buildings with a mix of 10 efficiency units, 122 one-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom units. All residences are reserved for adults aged 55 and older earning at or below 60% of the area median income (AMI), with 10% of units reserved for residents at or below 30% of the AMI and another 10% designated for individuals with disabilities or those transitioning from homelessness.
Contact: Kayla Rosenberg Strampe, director of enterprise strategy and development, DHIC, 919-615-3735
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency that provides safe, affordable housing opportunities to enhance the quality of life of North Carolinians. Since its creation by the General Assembly, the Agency has financed more than 333,400 affordable homes and apartments, totaling $37.4 billion. To learn more about the Agency and its programs, visit www.HousingBuildsNC.com.