RESOURCES

WAMY Community Action partners with families and communities to provide community members with lower incomes the support and tools they need to become self-sufficient and to remain securely in their own homes. ​

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Offers: 

• Home Repair Program - addresses critical issues like leaking roofs, plumbing or electrical hazards, and other safety concerns

• Weatherization Program - helps reduce heating and cooling costs for homeowners and renters

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Counties Served: Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey

​Northwest Regional Housing Authority provides, and has provided, essential housing services for community members with lower incomes and who have qualifying situations in the High Country region for the past 44 years. 

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Offers: 

• Housing Choice Voucher Program - assists low-income, elderly, and disabled families and individuals with the cost of decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing in the private market

• *Able to pay 110% of Fair Market Rent to private landlords for rental housing on behalf of qualifying households (*as of 1/1/2025)​

• Family Self-Sufficiency Program - promotes economic independence of Housing Choice Voucher families through counseling and supportive services

 

Counties Served: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey

Habitat for Humanity partners with individuals and families in Watauga County to help them build a safe and affordable home.

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Offers: 

New, single family homes - Applicants must have

1. "Need" of better or safer living conditions. 

2. "Ability to Pay" an affordable, 0% interest mortgage (see wataugahabitat.org for income guidelines.

3. "Willingness to Partner" by assisting with the building of their home.

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Counties Served: Watauga 

OASIS, Inc. provides free and confidential services to survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual violence. 

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Offers: 

• Confidential Emergency Shelter - 90 day program for individuals fleeing Intimate Partner Violence

• Transitional Housing - available for up to 60 days following Shelter stays

• Rapid Rehousing - supplementary housing program with rental assistance

• Permanent Supportive Housing - housing for unhoused survivors and their children who are fleeing domestic violence and live with a disability

• Referrals and three-way call facilitation to other shelters if OASIS cannot provide emergency shelter or housing

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Counties Served: Avery, Watauga 

Hospitality House, a regional nonprofit housing and homeless services agency, works in seven rural North Carolina counties providing housing, shelter, food access, homeless prevention, street outreach, counseling, medical care, and crisis assistance for heating, utilities, and eviction prevention. 

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Offers: 

• Street Outreach - available to persons who are currently living unsheltered

• Night-by-Night Shelter

• Day Services - Meals, showers, laundry facilities, computer, internet and phone access, First Aid, coats and blankets

• Emergency Housing

• Transitional Housing 

• Domestic Violence Transitional Housing - facility based dorms or family efficiency units

• Permanent Supportive Housing and Scattered Site Housing - Stable housing and support services for individuals and families with disabilities and/or high services needs

• Rapid Rehousing - Rental subsidy and supportive services for families and individuals over 18 who are homeless

• Domestic Violence Rapid Rehousing - Rental subsidy and supportive services for those fleeing domestic violence

• Opioid Recovery Housing Support - available in Ashe, Watauga, and Wilkes

• Disaster Recovery Housing Support

• Crisis Assistance - heating, utilities, and eviction prevention

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Counties Served: Watauga, Wilkes, Ashe, Avery, Alleghany, Mitchell, Yancey ​​​​

Homestead Recovery Center offers peer-led, recovery housing to men and women through trauma-informed care, community connection, and individualized recovery planning. 

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Offers: 

• The Homeplace Recovery Housing - substance-free, supportive, and structured healthy living environments for people in recovery

 

Counties Served: Priority given to current and former Watauga County residents

Watauga Community Housing Trust works to preserve and develop permanently affordable housing by acquiring land and existing homes through use of a 99 year ground lease.

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Offers: 

• Home ownership opportunities for low to moderate income individuals and families

• Volunteer opportunities for community members to participate directly in affordable homebuilding

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Counties Served: Watauga

High Country Council of Governments administers various funds and programs from state and federal governments entities to support the High Country region and local governments, including programs focused on housing repair and rehabilitation. 

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Offers: 

• Urgent Repair Program - repairs for structural, HVAC, roof repairs and more for Hurricane Helene damages for residents facing displacement if repairs are not made

• Essential Single Family Rehabilitation Program - repairs to bring homes damaged from Hurricane Helene up to code

• Home Modification for Falls Prevention Program - Free home safety assessments and funding for eligible home modifications to prevent falls in the home. Available to individuals over age 60 who have not participated in an evidence-based falls prevention program in the last 12 months

• Assists communities with grant funding to replace homes for qualified participants

• Assists communities with grants from disaster funding resources

 

Counties Served: Watauga, Wilkes, Ashe, Avery, Alleghany, Mitchell, Yancey ​​​​

Legal Aid of North Carolina can assist with civil legal issues including housing, consumer protection, disaster relief, and more

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Offers: 

• Free legal advice for eligible individuals regarding private landlord/tenant disputes, subsidized housing issues, mortgage foreclosures, and more

• Free legal representation for eligible individuals in small claims court, district court, and administrative hearings

• Free legal advice and representation for eligible individuals in disaster related issues, including landlord/tenant, mortgage foreclosure, and insurance policies

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Counties Served: All NC counties​​​​

Ashe County Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with the people of Ashe County to eliminate substandard housing by building safe, affordable, decent housing with families in need.

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Offers: 

• New, single family homes - applicants must have current substandard living conditions, current rent that exceeds 30% of gross income, ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and willingness to partner and assist with the building of their home

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Counties Served: Ashe