N.C. Central University men’s basketball coach LeVelle Moton will deliver the keynote address at the N.C. Affordable Housing Conference on Sept. 5.
Early bird registration for the two-day event (Sept. 5-6) opened Friday and will close August 9. The agenda can be found here. Information about about speakers and sponsors can be found on the N.C. Housing Coalition’s website.
In addition to his coaching duties, Moton has been working to bring affordable housing to the Southeast Raleigh neighborhood where he grew up and honed his basketball skills. The coach was reared in Raleigh’s Lane Street public housing community, which is east of downtown.
Moton’s company Raleigh Raised Development (RRD) has partnered with Raleigh Area Land Trust (RALT) and Haven Design | Build to build the Cottages of Idlewild, which is an 18-unit affordable housing community on 1.7 acres of city-owned property. RRD has secured $8.3 million in funding for the housing development.
Moton announced in a June 5 tweet that the project is fully funded after the Wake County Board of Commissioners approved a $910,000 no-interest loan to support construction of the project. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall.
“I’m literally moved to tears….This project was “Personal “ because it’s my Grandmother’s old home. It’s where I grew up! Now we’re fully funded! PS..I named the housing designs after my childhood friends…. To God be the Glory!” Moto tweeted
The Cottages of Idlewild will offer a range of home purchase and home rental opportunities for individuals and families at 50% to 80% area median income, according the RRD website. Idlewild is a primarily Black community and one of Raleigh’s earliest neighborhoods where former slaves achieved homeownership.
Idlewild Cottages is being touted as Raleigh’s first affordable “cottage court.” A cottage court community is a housing development that consists of small individual homes built around a shared greenspace. It is being developed based on the Community Land Trust Model. Under that model, buyers purchase the home only and lease land at a nominal rate for a minimum of 99 years. That ensures the property remains affordable.
Meanwhile, property taxes are only assessed on the value of the home, which means that tax bills are lower than market-rate homes. Resale price of homes are restricted to ensure homes remain affordable to future generations, which creates opportunities for individuals and families to develop equity and generational wealth.
Moton often shares his concerns about gentrification in the historically Black neighborhood.
“I’ve witnessed people try to infiltrate our neighborhoods and profit,” he told the Raleigh News & Observer in April. “For me, it’s deeply personal. I’m fueled by a deep sense of responsibility.”
NC Newsline recently wrote about the challenges residents in Raleigh’s traditional Black neighborhoods are facing staying in their homes due to development pressures and rising taxes.