Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC

10/19/2026

A proposed NC constitutional amendment would lower the maximum allowable personal and corporate income tax rates from 7% to 3.5%. While this wouldn’t immediately lower taxes beyond what’s already scheduled under current law, it would make it much harder for future lawmakers to respond to changing needs.

State funding helps support affordable housing, homeownership assistance and home repair programs. We can’t predict what challenges our communities will face in the years ahead, but we know we’ll need the flexibility to respond.

At Orange Habitat, we believe every North Carolinian deserves the opportunity to have a safe, stable and affordable place to call home. Let’s preserve our state’s ability to invest in that future.

⚠️ We recommend voting AGAINST all three constitutional amendments on the NC ballot, including the income tax cap, property tax levy limit, and photo ID voting requirements.

🗳️ Haven’t voted yet? Make your plan to vote at orangecountync.gov/elections.

📚 Read more about the income tax cap amendment at https://ncbudget.org/fact_sheet_tax_cap_2026/.

10/16/2026

Thank you to Congresswoman Valerie Foushee for visiting our Auman Village site in Hillsborough and taking the time to learn more about our work. We're excited for what's to come! 🏠💙

10/16/2026

On Tuesday, we celebrated a new milestone in inclusive housing with a ribbon-cutting for four duplexes purchased by HOPE NC in our Weavers Grove neighborhood. These homes — the first of 11 total in the neighborhood — will provide safe, affordable housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), offering opportunities for greater independence, connection, and belonging in a mixed-income community.

“From the beginning, Weavers Grove was designed to be more than just a housing development,” said Jennifer Player, Orange Habitat President and CEO. “We set out to create a neighborhood where people of different incomes, ages, backgrounds, and now abilities could live side by side. That is the *weaving* part of Weavers Grove: a neighborhood where connection, inclusion and belonging aren’t aspirations, but realities. And you can see that reality taking shape before you here today.”

The homes are an important step toward a future in which adults with I/DD have more choices about where they live, with whom they live, and how they participate in their communities.

“These homes represent the belief that people with disabilities belong in every neighborhood,” said Laura Wells, executive director of HOPE NC. “They represent what can happen when a community decides that inclusion isn’t an afterthought: it’s a part of the vision from the very beginning.”

The Town of Chapel Hill played an important role in making this project possible, including through funding supported by the community’s bond referendum. Other partners and supporters recognized at the ribbon cutting included OCNCGov, Alliance Health, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and private foundations and community investors.

There is hope this partnership will serve as a model for other communities across the state and country. “I have talked to so many parents who worry about what will happen to their adult children when they are no longer able to care for them and oversee their support,” said Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson. “This meets an unbelievable need, and we need to see it multiply.”

🔗 Read the full story at https://www.orangehabitat.org/news/celebrating-new-inclusive-housing-at-weavers-grove.

10/15/2026

Our Women Build workday and celebration got rained out last weekend, but we're officially back on — and teaming up with Building Pride for a combined workday on Saturday, October 24!

We’re bringing both programs together to celebrate the contributions of women and LGBTQIA+ people in construction, the trades, affordable housing, and our broader community. It’s an opportunity to build alongside one another while highlighting the importance of creating more inclusive spaces both on and off the job site. We encourage everyone to attend, regardless of gender identity or expression!

Morning shift: 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Register: https://orangehabitat.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/5738f926-0df7-4098-98a8-83d5af033d67

Afternoon shift: 1–4 p.m. Register: https://orangehabitat.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/246ad885-79ac-42dc-94b4-99b3b38c750a

And join us from 12-1 p.m. for a shared hour of celebration between shifts!

10/14/2026

While meaningful property tax relief is more important than ever, we believe the proposed North Carolina constitutional amendment that would require lawmakers to impose limits on how much local governments can increase property taxes is the wrong approach.

Modeling by the North Carolina Housing Coalition shows these limits would provide little relief for the average homeowner and would likely result in funding cuts for important local services, including programs Habitat relies on to build and repair homes.

The big winners of a levy limit? Large corporations, which stand to save millions.

🔗 Keep up-to-date on housing issues like this by signing up for our advocacy newsletter at orangehabitat.org/advocacy.

🗳️ Early voting in Orange County starts tomorrow — October 15! Learn more and make a plan to vote at https://orangecountync.gov/1720/Elections.

10/13/2026

Through the end of October, every gift to our initiative up to $25,000 will be matched, thanks to the support of an anonymous donor! 🎊

Pope Leo Village is a nationwide initiative inspired by Pope Leo's vision of community, service, and shared humanity. Every gift, no matter the size, helps build homes that enable our community to thrive.

🔗 Learn more and make a gift at orangehabitat.org/pope-leo-village.

10/06/2026

Join us this Saturday for our fall Women Build volunteer workday: no construction experience required! 💗🔨 We’ll gather on October 10 at Weaver’s Grove, our neighborhood in northern Chapel Hill. All are welcome, regardless of gender identity or expression.

:::: Timing ::::
You can sign up for the morning shift (8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) and/or the afternoon shift (12-4 p.m.). From 12-1 p.m., the two shifts will overlap for an hour of celebration with lunch provided by Orange Habitat!

:::: Registration Details ::::
Pre-registration is required to make sure our construction crew can supervise and support every volunteer on site. Volunteers must be 16 or older; those under 18 must have a completed Parent & Guardian Waiver on file before their shift.

🔗 Learn more and register: https://www.orangehabitat.org/events/women-build-workday-and-celebration-oct-10-2026

:::: About Women Build ::::
Women Build celebrates the vital role women play in construction, the trades, and affordable housing. Since 1991, Women Build volunteers at Habitat for Humanity affiliates have come together from all walks of life to build stronger, safer communities. Anyone who wants to learn how to build or repair a home is invited to join.

P.S. Can’t make it on the 10th? You can still support this special program by making a gift directly to Women Build! Visit orangehabitat.org/womenbuild to give today.

10/02/2026

We’re honored to be RESNET’s Builder of the Month! Energy-efficient construction is a key part of how we build quality, affordable homes that keep energy bills manageable for our homeowners. Thank you to RESNET for recognizing this work!

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC, builds homes with a commitment to quality, energy efficiency, and lasting affordability.

09/30/2026

Join us for a planting shift and workshop in partnership with Piedmont Conservation Council and Hillsborough Stormwater and Environmental Services this Saturday, October 3, in Hillsborough!

The morning will begin with a workshop on native and invasive plants and the importance of riparian ecosystems. Then we'll roll up our sleeves to plant native species, remove weeds, and help maintain a vital Hillsborough waterway along Odie Street, where a number of Habitat homes are located.

👉 Learn more and sign up: https://orangehabitat.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/1f69ee7e-8bb4-49a0-8cae-48dbfe1062f2

09/29/2026

How many people does it take to move a carport? About 25! ✨ Shout out to the brave volunteers who helped us move the carport that serves as our volunteer gathering spot to its last Weavers Grove location. You made carrying an enormous metal structure roughly 500 feet up a slight incline look easy! 💪🫠

🔗 Interested in joining us? Find opportunities by visiting orangehabitat.org/volunteer and clicking through to our VolunteerHub portal. Upcoming shifts at Weavers Grove include Women Build on October 10 and Building Pride on October 24!

📷: Hannah Barone and Julia Henn