MARTINSVILLE, Va. – City officials and project leads cut the ribbon on a new community development minutes away from Uptown Martinsville.
The Five Points Neighborhood, located on Emanuel Street, brings a fresh look to a growing area and addresses a critical housing need.
“It was clear that we needed housing at all levels of the income strata, but certainly in affordable and workforce housing,” said Harvest Foundation President Kate Keller.
This revelation was made during a 2019 housing summit in the area. Keller says it was obvious they needed new development in Martinsville and Henry County. A survey was sent out soon after that highlighted specific needs like the lack of affordable housing.
“Allowing a significant part of our population that this has been out of reach for them to own a home and start to build that wealth and be able to pass down generational wealth, this is the starting point,” expressed Keller.
Five homes are on-site right now. Additional homes will be built as completed homes are sold.
The Harvest Foundation, a private foundation established in 2002 from the sale of Memorial Hospital in Martinsville, supports the Five Points Neighborhood project through an Affordable Housing Fund, which serves as a stop-gap if homes are on the market for an extended period of time.
Nationwide Homes, a member of the Cavco family with 26 manufacturing plants located across the United States, deployed the latest technologies and building innovations throughout the development of the Five Points Neighborhood. Already built into the company’s modular process are increased efficiencies that reduce waste and provide quick turnaround times for builds.
“The definition of affordable housing really changed throughout this process. When we first started affordable housing was seen at this level and by the time we were done, it raised,” explained Nationwide Homes General Manager Donald Aheron.
Thanks to their affiliation with Cavco, Aheron says few disruptions delayed work because of the manufacturing companies’ far reach.
Yvonne Irving is one of the first homeowners on this property.
“I’ve wanted a home for so long and I’ve worked so hard for this,” stated Irving. “The rent is horribly high, and the market right now is ugh. I could buy a place and repair it, but I could never fix it on my own. If I could afford to fix it, I’d be there. This is just perfect.”
Applications are open through the United Way of Martinsville and Henry County.
The project is a partnership of Virginia Housing, City of Martinsville, USDA-Rural Development, Nationwide Homes, Silverpoint Homes, Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp., United Way of Henry County & Martinsville, and The Harvest Foundation.
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