By Kaitlyn Parker, External Affairs Intern
North Carolina is experiencing tremendous population growth, causing a significant shortage of available homes. Economic developers and community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne recognize housing as a critical issue that needs to be tackled.
Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne is helping meet the infrastructure needs of its community by creating a new neighborhood in Goldsboro.
“Many people immediately think of urban areas when they think about housing shortages, but rural communities are facing significant challenges too,” said Matthew Whittle, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne.
Whittle shared that the NC Chamber Foundation projects that Wayne and Lenoir counties alone could face a shortage of nearly 9,000 housing units by 2029.
In 2025, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $500,000 in funding to Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne to support the development of water, sewer, road, sidewalk, gutter, and stormwater infrastructure for the new 24.5-acre McNair Heights neighborhood in Goldsboro. Partnerships helped close the funding gap.
“This project only became possible through partnerships,” said Whittle. “The City of Goldsboro committed Community Development Block Grant funding for infrastructure. Golden LEAF recognized the project as an economic development opportunity and provided funding support. Together with Habitat funds, we are able to create approximately $2.1 million in infrastructure improvements. These investments allow us to move beyond simply building homes; they support future economic development in the area.”
Operating in multiple phases, the McNair Heights neighborhood will include 31 single-family homes during Phase 1.
“So far, we have five houses under construction,” said Whittle. “Three houses that have gone vertical, and the other two have foundations.”
By meeting the infrastructure and housing needs of their community, Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne seeks to improve the economic stability of the surrounding region.
“Housing isn’t simply about providing shelter today,” said Whittle. “It’s about creating generational stability and strengthening communities for decades to come.”
Whittle said that housing ownership creates long-term economic opportunity.
“We’re developing an entire neighborhood that will revitalize an underinvested area while helping address local workforce housing needs,” said Whittle. “Statistics show that children of lower-income homeowners are more likely to graduate from high school and college than children of lower-income renters. Homeownership also increases household wealth by an average of about $9,500 annually.”
The mixed-income neighborhood is designed to bridge the gap between two census tract zones of 70% homeownership and 70% renters, shared Whittle. Habitat for Humanity expects the homes to be filled by a diverse range of individuals working across industries.
“Twenty-five of the homes will be Habitat homes, while the remainder will be sold on the open market to create a mixed-income neighborhood,” said Whittle. “Among our Habitat homeowners are public servants, childcare workers, teacher assistants, and healthcare employees—people who are essential to our local economy.”
Whittle estimates the neighborhood will house about 122 individuals.
“McNair Heights is the largest project our Habitat affiliate has ever undertaken,” said Whittle. “Partnerships are so critical. Our partnership with Golden LEAF has been instrumental in helping us move forward with our current housing project.”