Our Organization
Welcome, Bruno!
Bruno Marcenaro recently joined the CHT team as our new Real Estate Sales and Transaction Coordinator. Please help us welcome him to the team! Bruno moved to the United States from Lima, Peru, at 17 to join his mother [...]
Affordable Housing Fireside Chat
On Wednesday, November 13, Community Home Trust hosted its first-ever Affordable Housing Fireside Chat with retired Congressman David Price and former housing advisor to President Obama and current nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute, Jim Parrott. The discussion was [...]
Porch Stairs, Plumbing, and Other Essential Repairs: The Dowling Home Maintenance Fund
This time last year, we shared a post about the Dowling Home Maintenance Fund, which was established in 2019 to honor the retirement of CHT’s long-time Executive Director, Robert Dowling. The fund can be accessed by CHT homeowners to [...]
Meeting = Party?
Maybe when you hear the word "meeting" you don't think of a party. Well, at Community Home Trust, we know how to put the party in a meeting! Nearly 200 people joined us for our Annual Meeting and Block [...]
Welcome, Sue!
This month, we welcomed a new team member at CHT: Sugey (pronounced soo-hey) Galvagni, who goes by Sue! Sue is our new Homeowner/Tenant Relations Coordinator whose primary role is working with our residents. So if you are a CHT [...]
Value Stream Mapping
By Thea Cola, Director of Philanthropy You may remember from when we shared the news earlier this year, that with all of the development that is planned for the Town in the near future, we’re expecting our inclusionary inventory [...]
World CLT Day
On May 17 and 18, community land trusts (CLTs) around the world will celebrate World CLT Day, an opportunity to acknowledge the worldwide community land trust movement and what it means for individuals and communities. You may know that [...]
Five Homes In Durham
On March 1, CHT purchased five homes on Open Air Camp Road in Durham, officially making them part of our permanently affordable inventory. The residents of those homes are members of the Eno River Tenants' Association and had long [...]
PRESS RELEASE: “Budget Your Way Home” program launches
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 8, 2024 Contact: Daniele Berman, Director of External Relations dberman@communityhometrust.org, 919.967.3231 ORANGE COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORGANIZATION LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE PROGRAM TO HELP FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS STRUGGLING TO QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE On March 15, 2024, local nonprofit [...]
Crawlspace Updates at Legion Road
At Community Home Trust, we consider partnership to be one of the most essential elements of our work. A project underway right now at the Legion Road townhomes in Chapel Hill is a great example of how our partnerships [...]
Board Stories: Meet Board President Brika (and New Members Bridgit, Linda, Ranya, and Jim)
Please help us welcome our new President of our Board of Directors and three new Board members in 2024! Brika Eklund has been a member of the CHT Board of Directors for the past three years, and as of [...]
CHT’s 2023 Wrapped
Maybe you're a Spotify user and your "Wrapped" has arrived. Maybe you're writing holiday cards to family and friends and reflecting on what your family has been up to for the year. Maybe your work requires some year-end reporting [...]
Dowling Home Maintenance Fund
Pictured, L to R: Kevin Foy, Robert Dowling, and Roger Perry, celebrating Robert Dowling receiving CHT's Building Better Futures Award in 2023 Anyone who has ever owned a home knows that there’s much more to the cost than just [...]
Welcome, Thea!
I'm so excited to join the Community Home Trust team! Originally from Indiana, I grew up surrounded by the Midwest values of hard work, humility and community. This foundation set me on a path to pursue community-centered vocations. I [...]
Tanyard Branch Trace (Jay Street) News Update
On Friday, August 11, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) announced that the Town of Chapel Hill’s proposed Tanyard Branch Trace development was selected to receive a highly competitive 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) award. According to [...]
Spring Has Sprung at The Landings!
Spring is here and now so are fresh flowers and herbs at The Landings at Winmore! On this year’s annual survey of residents at Community Home Trust's affordable apartments at The Landings, several residents mentioned that they would like [...]
Latinx Challenges
By Ivelisse Mercado, Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator I had the privilege of attending Racial Equity Institute (REI) Organizing Against Racism (OAR) Latinx Challenges workshop earlier this year. REI was founded and grew out of Greensboro, NC and has [...]
Board AND Homeowner Stories: Meet Ava Wellington, Board Chair
“It’s a quiet, reserved community, with many ‘wiser’ residents,” says Ava Wellington of her Meadowmont neighborhood, Greenway. “It’s prime real estate!” Ava has owned her Community Home Trust home since she moved to North Carolina from California in 2015. [...]
Racial Equity Institute Reflections
Last week, the entire Community Home Trust staff participated in Racial Equity Institute's two-day Phase 1 Racial Equity Workshop, some as alumni of the program, and others for the first time. The website describes the course this way: "REI’s [...]
Help Us Welcome New Board Member, Joan Rose!
“Home is a place to really feel settled. It’s a place to feel safe and protected and comfortable and happy to be in. It’s a place to welcome friends and family. It’s a place where I feel like my [...]
MLK Day Reflections
By Ivelisse Mercado, Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dedication to using his voice to impact and spark change permanently affects American history. He is an icon for social justice, equity, and community. There are [...]
CHT Staff Binge Recommendations
Got some time off coming up? Maybe you’re looking for your next great binge? We asked our staff members what they’re binge watching, reading, or listening to these days. Here are some of their recommendations: Community Manager Felicia Stroud [...]
Teamwork
By Caroline Veloso Oliveira, Deputy Director At Community Home Trust we do a lot to bring hope to our applicants and community members on their dream regarding affordable housing. With all the work that we do and the remote work [...]
Putting Down Roots and Breaking Down Barriers to Homeownership
When you imagine your ideal neighborhood, what do you experience? Perhaps you see beautiful homes with colorful, abundant gardens. Maybe you feel the warm summer evening air as you walk or drive down a shady, peaceful street to the grocery [...]
Policy. Practice. Power.
By Kimberly Sanchez, Executive Director Last month, my colleague Daniele and I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for Grounded Solutions Network’s annual conference. Grounded Solutions Network works nationally to connect local housing experts, specifically community land [...]
It’s 2022, and People Who Should Be Able to Afford to Buy a Home Can’t
54 years ago, the Fair Housing Act was signed into law in the United States with the intention of preventing housing discrimination and giving more Americans access to safe housing. But decades later, the prospect of owning a home [...]
Keepin’ It 100!
WHAT A PARTY! Over 100 people joined us for "Keepin' It 100: a Party for Housing" this past Saturday at the Jackson Center. In addition to dancing, eating hot dogs, having their faces painted, and mingling with neighbors and [...]
Welcome, Ivelisse!
Please help us welcome our new Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator, Ivelisse Mercado! We asked Ivelisse to introduce herself to our community -- please feel free to reach out and introduce yourself to her, too! As Chapel Hill native [...]
Board Stories: Meet our President, Bruce Warrington
“It’s a relay race, and it’s my turn to carry the baton. But there’s a team behind me that’s doing all the work.” That’s how Bruce Warrington, the new President of our Board of Directors, describes his view of [...]
Welcome, Caroline!
Please help us welcome our new Deputy Director, Caroline Veloso Oliveira! “Home is essential. After recently buying my first home, I know how hard it can be. It takes a lot of work, time, and research, and prices keep [...]
It’s Not Too Late!
We are ready to say goodbye to 2021 and ring in the new year…and with it, the opportunity to make more affordable homes available to more neighbors than ever. Will you make a gift to help us start the [...]
Home for the Holidays
The holiday season is a time for joy, gratitude, and generosity. As the leaves change color and the temperature drops, we start thinking about what we’re grateful for. Our homes become the center of safe, fun holiday gatherings with friends [...]
Giving Tuesday!
Today is Giving Tuesday, and in honor of the day, we’re launching our “Home for the Holidays” campaign. And we’re SO excited to share that a generous donor has pledged to match all donations now through the end of [...]
At Home with Community Home Trust
Here's what "home" means to the Community Home Trust staff this time of year
Who Should Attend CHT’s Annual Meeting?
Do you wonder about the impact CHT is having on the community at large? Did you make a donation to Community Home Trust this past year, and you’re wondering how your donation was put to work? Are you a [...]
What is “Jay Street” (other than a street in Chapel Hill)?
For most people who live in Chapel Hill or Carrboro, Jay Street is just another street in town. But at Community Home Trust these days, saying "Jay Street" means so much more. For us and our partners at Taft-Mills [...]
Taking Action on the “I” in DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
By Calvin Burton, Development and Donor Relations Manager, cburton@communityhometrust.org. Everyone wants to feel like they “belong” somewhere. Whether that’s at home, with friends, or at work, people want to feel included and heard, and they want to know their [...]
Board Stories: Barbara Foushee
Mayor Pro Tem and Carrboro Town Council member Barbara Foushee has lived in Carrboro since 1991 -- and in that time, she has seen the town go through quite a bit of change. She says that "change is growth, [...]
Who Are All Those Masked Men and Women?
Maybe you saw our staff photo in our newsletter this week and wondered, "Who are all those masked CHT staffers?" It's been a while since we've all (well, almost all) been in the same place, and our team has [...]
Your Weekend Recommendations from Our Staff
It's been a long, hot week here in North Carolina -- and much of the country. The weekend ahead is looking stormy. Maybe you're wondering what to read or watch this weekend while you're staying safe and cool inside? [...]
Addressing the Rental Housing Crisis
We talk a lot about Community Home Trust as stewards of homeownership opportunities, but did you know that we also own low-income rental housing and are preparing to invest in more? We know that this is the best way [...]
What is the Capital Improvement Incentive Program?
At Community Home Trust, we are always working to improve our partnership with our homeowners and tenants. We’ve listened to you, and your feedback helped us come up with the Capital Improvement Program, launched in October 2020. Owning a [...]
All About Aura
What is Aura? Aura is a project that is proposing to build almost 400 units of rental housing and approximately 59 units of homeownership in the form of 3-story townhomes on the corner of MLK Blvd. and Estes Drive. This [...]
Board Retreat
This past Saturday, our Board of Directors spent the day at a virtual retreat. During their time together, they celebrated CHT’s successes over the past year, talked about this year’s celebration of our 30th birthday, and laid the groundwork for our work over the next [...]
Remembering Deanna
A year ago today, we lost a member of the Community Home Trust family. Deanna Carson began her work advocating for affordable housing in Orange County in 2007, and she was a valued member of the Community Home Trust team [...]
Standing with Our AAPI Neighbors and Community Members
As our country is yet again wrestling with a very public and devastating hate crime, this time targeting members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Atlanta, our team at Community Home Trust is reminded of the power of words – both to harm and [...]
Happy Birthday, CHT!
It's our 30th birthday -- we know, we don't look a day over 29! *blushing* -- and we're planning a party on YOUR porch! Here's what you need to do to make sure you don't miss it: Save the [...]
Stewardship and a Facelift
If you're a CHT homeowner, you may remember learning about our Stewardship Program during your contract meeting. Even if you're not a homeowner, you may have read about the program on our website and wondered what it was all [...]
Laying the Foundation for a Stronger, Healthier Community
By Cheryl Parquet, Director of Community Relations at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Living in Carrboro for more than 25 years now, Sarah Scott has seen a lot of things change. But no change in her community has [...]
2020 #bestnine
2020 was quite a year! Here are our CHT #bestnine stats for 2020 -- and cheers to even more growth together in 2021!
The 7 Steps to Becoming a CHT Homeowner
Buying a home through Community Home Trust is a bit different from buying on the private market. If you have questions about the steps outlined below, please email our Program Coordinator Yandry Mastromihalis at ymastromihalis@communityhometrust.org or give her a call [...]
You have been a gift to me in 2020
By Kimberly Sanchez, Executive Director “What I can say about Community Home Trust is that it’s a blessing.” That’s what Priscilla told us recently, after she purchased her CHT home in October of this year, nine years after she [...]
Sanctuary
2020 has been a challenge for all of us in so many ways. Thankfully, Community Home Trust (CHT) residents have had the security of their homes during these uncertain times. These residents include individuals like Kyong M., a nurse and [...]
Our Core Values
Our work is guided by these core values: Dedication to our mission: We care about our homeowners, tenants, and the community we share. We seek out new and innovative opportunities and solutions to partner and serve. Focus on inclusion: We [...]
We’re Thankful
As we enter the holiday season, the Community Home Trust team is thankful for each other, for our family and friends, for our community, and for so much more!
Giving Tuesday
In 2017, when Community Home Trust acquired The Landings at Winmore, we did so with the trust of our community and the encouragement of our partners - and with the goal of building community among the residents of the [...]
What We Care About
By Kimberly Sanchez, Executive Director Welcome to our brand-new blog -- and not a moment too soon! What a wild ride 2020 has been, culminating in what was apropos, a wild ride of a presidential election. Community Home Trust (CHT) [...]
Board AND Homeowner Stories: Meet Our Board President, Kelley Gregory
At our Annual Meeting on October 22, we elected a new President of our Board of Directors: Kelley Gregory. Kelley has been a Community Home Trust homeowner for eight years and a board member for the past five. She [...]
Transitions
This fall has been a season of transitions at CHT!
Our Commitment to Being an Anti-Racist Organization
We are committed to doing whatever we can to ensure all members of our community are treated fairly in their pursuit of affordable housing.