CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With short supply and eroded savings, buying a home continues to stay out of reach for many Americans.
"It leaves you feeling stressed and hopeless," Charlotte resident Lapri Holmes said. "To find affordable housing in Charlotte is slim to none."
Holmes knows all too well the challenge of buying a home before she was given a brand-new home from Habitat from Humanity of the Charlotte Region in October 2023.
"I was so thankful. I never dreamed of being a homeowner," Holmes said.
Owning a home is a reality that officials are working to help other families attain too, with Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region and Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County merging.
"By working together, we can do more things," Laura Belcher, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region, said. "We need more creativity in how we serve families."
The organizations said many homes they work on need repairs. The goal of the merger is to bring together the strengths of both groups to enhance resources and investments.
"The guiding principle is can we serve more families by working together than being apart and we believe that we can," Belcher said.
There is a backlog of families looking to buy a house, a dream Holmes hopes the combined group can make a reality for many.
"Don't give up hope because you can become a homeowner just like me," Holmes said.
Officials say they will start by assessing the needs and will decide the best way to meet them when they merge in October.
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