This Black Church Is Offering Affordable Housing In Charlotte

This Black church is offering affordable housing in Charlotte, North Carolina. Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church is putting its money where its mouth is and offering a solution to the ever-growing homeless issue in the city.
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Rev. Dr. Dwayne A. Walker is the head pastor of Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church and understands the importance of collaboration. He told Black Enterprise that his church's development corporation, along with the city of Charlotte, and Laurel Street, a Black-founded real estate developer have been working together on a $24 billion housing project. It's a brand new apartment complex in Charlotte called 'Varick on 7th.' The apartment will include a studio and up to three-bedroom units.

The Little Rock Community Development Corporation donated the land from the church’s uptown campus. Walker says he's hoping the work the group has done to bring affordable housing to the city will serve as a model that can be duplicated across the country.

Varick on the 7th has a number of floor plans to choose from. The homes are modern and offer the latest features like stainless steel appliances, a full-size washer and dryer, and even walk-in closets. The amenities make it feel like home, too. There is a business center with work-from-home space and a courtyard with a fire pit.

Interested renters can schedule a tour or visit the website. Varick on 7th is located at 721 E. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC.

While there may be a slight improvement it's still a crazy market to try to buy a home in. The prices seem to stay crazy high, with no end to this housing bubble in sight. I would love to buy my first house, but like many, I simply can't in this market. And if you are paying these prices you want to make sure you're buying in the right area. Luckily, Niche.com decided to do the homework to determine the best places to buy a house in North Carolina. They recently released a list of the best places to live in the state, factoring in both cities, suburbs, towns and city neighborhoods.

Charlotte and the surrounding areas were very well represented on this list with five Charlotte neighborhoods making the top 10 places to buy a house. This includes both neighborhoods and suburbs.

“The Best Places to Buy a House ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of the housing and community of an area,” they explain the in the study. “This grade takes into account key factors of a location’s housing market, including home values, taxes, crime rates, and quality of local schools, in an attempt to measure the quality and stability of an area’s real estate market.”

Other factors included in the analysis include home value to income ratio, public school grades, monthly housing costs, the cost of living, the higher education rate, the median home value, and more.

So, are the best places to buy a house in North Carolina? Read on for the top 10 as well as the other Charlotte area neighborhoods. Or you can read the full list via Niche.com.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hemby+Bridge,+NC+28079/@35.1099527,-80.6398029,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88543b5a0de5eb3b:0x71613f6c07ea4d0!8m2!3d35.1045279!4d-80.6300175!16zL20vMHlsNzY

Hemby Bridge is a small town in Union County, NC. The town has a population of 1,957.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Governor's+Square,+Charlotte,+NC+28226/@35.1437209,-80.8154558,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88569e1d913bcc83:0x72ebe56d52b13dca!8m2!3d35.143992!4d-80.8087103!16s%2Fg%2F1tfjrdtt

The Governor's Square neighborhood of Charlotte is in the South Park area. It includes the area of Charlotte Country Day between Carmel, Sharon View, Sharon, and Colony.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Weddington,+NC/@35.02077,-80.7740389,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x885428a14d4ad4e5:0x9e2b01acec623523!8m2!3d35.0223708!4d-80.7609035!16zL20vMDEzajNi

I'm a little surprised Weddington didn't rank higher on this list. Union County and Weddington in particular tend to get a lot of love, particularly for the schools. This are is continuing to see rapid growth and people flocking to it, for good reason.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pleasant+Hill+Road,+Charlotte,+NC+28278/@35.0730487,-81.0409897,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8856903123b05bdf:0xfcd118be85dad096!8m2!3d35.0701485!4d-81.0423429!16s%2Fg%2F1tg_gr_t

The Pleasant Hill Neighborhood of Charlotte is home to around 7,000 people. It's situated on Lake Wylie but still within the city limits.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Harrisburg,+NC/@35.3086908,-80.719731,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x885410865bc8b03f:0x85beb3f2801575ee!8m2!3d35.3237528!4d-80.6559017!16zL20vMHlkeTI

The suburb of Harrisburg sits northeast of Charlotte in Cabarrus County. With a population over around 18,500 it's got a small town feel close to the hustle and bustle of Charlotte.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Providence+Crossing,+Charlotte,+NC+28277/@35.0456412,-80.8042672,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x885427dde10763cb:0x3769f55605cec87c!8m2!3d35.0467566!4d-80.7840557!16s%2Fg%2F1tdqv763

Providence Crossing is a quiet South Charlotte neighborhood that includes the Waverly and Rae Farms shopping centers. This area has experienced rapid growth and has plenty to offer residents.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Boiling+Springs,+NC+28152/@35.2545961,-81.6787371,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x885718439cd48fc3:0xdec587cfd1511416!8m2!3d35.254292!4d-81.6670407!16zL20vMHlmZGM

Boiling Springs, the town of just under 5,000 is located in Cleveland County. The town is home to Gardner Webb University and is a single stoplight town.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Olde+Providence+South,+Charlotte,+NC+28226/@35.1056107,-80.8242702,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88542760f2c52561:0x134d4aa300033982!8m2!3d35.0993077!4d-80.8128636!16s%2Fg%2F1v2ky3vx

A great location and wonderful schools make Olde Providence South the 8th best place to buy a house in North Carolina. The neighborhood is nestled off Providence Road about halfway between SouthPark and the Arboretum area.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/McAdenville,+NC/@35.2676767,-81.0975761,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8856be76bb998ed5:0x54df580a0085bbb0!8m2!3d35.2587438!4d-81.0761901!16zL20vMHlnaGM

Who wouldn't want to live in Christmastown USA? This Gaston County town is convenient to Charlotte and Gastonia but has its own personality.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stokesdale,+NC/@36.2276508,-79.9940295,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8852e5c86bcc5f99:0x94ad829caae80172!8m2!3d36.2370802!4d-79.979483!16zL20vMHlncjg

Stokesdale is a Guilford County suburb of Greensboro. This small town makes a great place to call home.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wallburg,+NC/@35.9995032,-80.1650921,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8853a7ca3e552a73:0x27050a6814f80f75!8m2!3d36.0101371!4d-80.1392118!16zL20vMDk3dzI3

We stay in the triad region with Wallburg coming in at number 5 on Niche's list. Wallburg is a Winston-Salem suburb and is home to around 3,000 residents.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lewisville,+NC/@36.1102019,-80.4564264,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8853b6df06124b43:0x29a88832a5d6cee8!8m2!3d36.0970819!4d-80.4192216!16zL20vMHlnOTE

Our last stop in the Triad is Lewisville. Residents love the quaint downtown but the area is large enough to provide all residents need just a stone's throw from Winston-Salem.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fairview,+NC+28730/@35.5223941,-82.4175031,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8859f013573a093b:0xac6992e5e72a85bf!8m2!3d35.5140058!4d-82.3959511!16zL20vMHlkcjU

At first glance I assumed this was the area around Fairview Road/SouthPark in Charlotte. But it's actually Fairview in Buncombe County. This town of just under 3,000 residents is just outside of Asheville.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Providence+Plantation,+Charlotte,+NC/@35.0829517,-80.770009,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x885426f7b0599b63:0x9d696f7ad1bd81de!8m2!3d35.0873749!4d-80.7565874!16s%2Fg%2F1tgdp7zb

This massive south Charlotte neighborhood comes in at number 2 on this not to my surprise. It's got great schools and is convenient to shopping, dining, and many other amenities.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Colonial+Village,+Charlotte,+NC/@35.1896494,-80.8756071,15.5z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x88569f10986bc759:0x96b84f8df3130c32!8m2!3d35.1895051!4d-80.8696038!16s%2Fg%2F1pv5_cj88

Did you have to take a second look at the map to see exactly where Colonial Village was? I know I did. In the lower Southend area is Colonial Village a neighborhood that is currently benefiting from rapid growth and development. Securing a home in this neighborhood will get you a great return on your investment in a few years.