Habitat Charlotte Region tells Gastonia council merger will expand home repairs, financial education and modest homebuilding

Laura Belcher, president and CEO of Habitat Charlotte Region, briefed Gastonia—s City Council on Nov. 19 about a consolidation effective Oct. 1 that combined Habitat Charlotte Region and Habitat Gaston County into a single organization serving a larger region. Belcher said the merger retained Habitat Gaston staff and aimed to increase capacity across three primary fronts: new‑home construction, critical home repair for owner‑occupied homes (with a historical repair client average age of roughly 69), and expanded financial education and home‑buyer readiness programming.

Belcher highlighted recent activity and early metrics: a first consolidated workshop in October with 28 families participating in financial education, 34 local families completing an online financial assessment, and ongoing critical home repair work focused on aging owner‑occupied households (roughly 73% female‑headed households historically in repair programs). She described Dixon Village in Belmont—12 Habitat homes integrated into a 26‑home mixed‑income neighborhood—as a model and said one Habitat home in Gaston was under construction with an expected homeowner closing in early 2025.

Council members asked about partnerships with local schools and workforce training programs, restore operations on Franklin Boulevard, volunteer recruitment and the possibility of building duplexes, triplexes and townhomes to address missing middle housing. Belcher said staff retention was intentional, the Restore facility and offices will remain, and the organization will test light‑density products in the future while pursuing repair and financial programs immediately.

Council thanked Habitat for its community work and invited further collaboration around workforce partnerships and volunteer engagement.