Construction starting soon on affordable housing at old Taylor Homes site

WILMINGTON – Construction will soon commence on a $6.2 million affordable housing community, announced officials of Wilmington-based Housing and Economic Opportunities, Inc. (HEO). A groundbreaking ceremony for New Brooklyn Homes at Robert R. Taylor Estates is scheduled for March 26, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the old Taylor Homes public housing site located in the 1400 block of North 4th Street.

Dignitaries from the federal, state and local governments have been invited to attend. Mike Krause, President of Housing and Economic Opportunities and Chief Executive Officer of the Wilmington Housing Authority, said, “Breaking ground on this ambitious construction project in these economic times is a testament to the ability of HEO and WHA to advance the interests of affordable housing in our community. New Brooklyn Homes at Robert R. Taylor Estates will generate scores of job opportunities for the next nine months and creates modern, affordable, and safe housing for those who suffer the most during times of economic difficulty.”

New Brooklyn Homes at Robert R. Taylor Estates will include 48 apartments with two, three, and four-bedrooms that will be home to as many as 240 low income residents. The property will feature mature oak trees, plentiful parking, a community building, and architectural features that will be a natural extension of the Fourth Street corridor. HEO hopes to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the apartments by incorporating innovative design, renewable solar energy, sub-surface water retention systems, and green building technologies. Financing for New Brooklyn Homes at Robert R. Taylor Estates was made possible, in part, by the City of Wilmington and the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

About Housing and Economic Opportunities, Inc.:
Housing and Economic Opportunities, Inc. was established by the Wilmington Housing Authority in 1998. Prior HEO projects include 130 single family homes at Sunset South, 48 units of affordable family housing at The Pointe at Taylor Estates, and 96 affordable apartments at Robert R. Taylor Senior Homes.

INFORMATION FROM A NEWS RELEASE SENT TO THE WWAY NEWSCHANNEL 3 NEWSROOM.