WCHT is a new organization focused on community-led housing development. We want to give everyday Wataugans the power to create and manage the affordable housing they deserve.
Mission: The Watauga Community Housing Trust and its stakeholders develop and manage permanent, safe, and affordable housing to promote financial wellbeing and economic security for low to moderate income community members.
The WCHT Board
Directors are elected to the Board by WCHT’s Membership annually. Read more here to nominate yourself or another community member to serve as part of WCHT’s leadership.
2022-2024 (Term 2)
Rob Howard
Lynn Coulthard
2023-2025 (Term 1)
Meredith Maiken
Joe Furman
Arezou Sadoughi, PhD.
Jeanne Supin
Lynnwood Brown
Kaylor Mead
Benjamin Loomis
The Housing Trust Model
Other North Carolina communities are using this model to successfully provide affordable housing:
Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust
West Side Community Land Trust
Community Home Trust (Chapel Hill)
Other Trusts in North Carolina also manage rental properties at fixed, affordable rates. This demonstrated model can help Watauga County develop affordable rental and ownership opportunities through the same community-led organization.
Membership allows the community to participate in decision-making and keep the Trust in line with the needs of the community.
Applying this model in Watauga connects our community to regional and national efforts to create new ways for communities to participate in their own housing development.
WCHT welcomes all efforts to bring different kinds of housing to Watauga, we need it all! Building a Housing Trust for our community gives us more options to work with existing and new housing providers. We’re actively seeking builders and housing organizations to join our Partner Network or participate in one of our Working Groups.
Watch the call we hosted with Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust in May 2022 to hear more about the Housing Trust start-up process and meet our team!
Winter 2021
Community members involved in housing advocacy decide to pursue the Housing Trust model as a strategy and form the WCHT Steering Committee.
Spring/Summer 2022
The WCHT Steering Committee reached out to other NC Housing Trusts to research the start-up process, and worked with Watauga County officials to adopt and revive a defunct nonprofit 501(c)3.
Fall 2022
An initial group of volunteers developed long-term strategic goals, budgets, and outreach plans.
WCHT began hosting Quarterly Members Meetings to share our progress.
Winter 2023
WCHT launched its website and opened membership to the community. Our team began hosting presentations and outreach meetings to share the Housing Trust model and invite collaborators in.
Spring/Summer 2023
In February 2023, the first chance to raise funds for a piece of property arose. The First Home Fund was launched to kick off the Housing Trust model. Community members raised over $50,000 to complete the purchase!
NOW
In September 2023 WCHT hosted its first election to expand the Board of Directors by a vote of our Members.
In Phase 2 of the First Home Fund project, we’re seeking support to repair the home and prepare it for affordable resale through the Housing Trust model. Learn more and Support the project today!
BEYOND
Beyond this first home, we aim to create a coalition of builders, funders, and local citizens to reincentivize affordable homebuilding in Watauga and create a permanent affordable housing stock for our community.
You can become a part of this work by becoming a Member or attending a Working Group meeting. We would love to have your help bringing this new system to life!