History

In 1988, members of Trinity Presbyterian Church recognized that people in their community were living in deteriorating, unsafe homes that they did not have the financial means to repair. Church volunteers began working together to help complete minor home repairs. Al Kissling, the pastor of Trinity Presbyterian, and other socially conscious community members took an interest in the volunteer group. Through his work with volunteers, Al became aware of the home repair needs of the county, the plight of migrant workers in the county’s agriculture industry, and the lack of any organizational program that could effectively respond to those needs. Mike Oliphant, the first Executive Director, was hired in 1993, and Housing Assistance began to develop both single and multi-family housing.

Sugarloaf Apartments, a 43-unit development for seasonal farm workers, was completed in 1994. This first development project specifically addressed the unmet need for decent rental housing among agricultural workers. In conjunction with beginning single-family housing developments, Housing Assistance began offering financial education services. In 1995, these services included one-on-one housing counseling and a Home Buyer Education Course.

In the early 2000s, the organization began exploring the concept that housing is more than simply a means of shelter. Safe and secure housing breaks generational cycles and provides a foundation for the economic advancement of individuals. Since joining the North Carolina Community Development Initiative in 2004, Housing Assistance has diversified to increase multifamily housing production and single-family housing production by 50%.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastating effects on the region in 2024, Housing Assistance became a member of North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, NCVOAD. Today, programs offered by Housing Assistance are Housing Counseling, Single-Family new home construction, Multifamily unit construction, Home Repair, and Disaster Recovery.