The P.E.A.C.H. Apartments

An EMPOWERment Inc. affordable rental complex that puts low-wage workers first.

EMPOWERment Inc., a local affordable housing non-profit, is building The Pine Knolls, EMPOWERment, Affordable, Community, Housing (P.E.A.C.H.) Apartments! It is Chapel Hill’s first-ever affordable multi-unit complex with zero-debt funding. With $3.9M raised, EMPOWERment Inc. broke ground on October 17th, 2023.

Labeled “a unicorn” by a Chapel Hill Affordable Housing Advisory Board member, the P.E.A.C.H. Apartments will house low-income individuals and their families who cannot afford to live in the community where they currently work.

Want to be part of the P.E.A.C.H. Legacy? Its not too late! Leave your legacy at the P.E.A.C.H. Rain Garden. Scroll below for information on how to purchase a brick or click the “Buy-a-Brick” link in the menu above.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for P.E.A.CH. is at 11:00 AM on Friday, April 25, 2025 at the Apartment site: 107 Johnson Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. Please join us for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Friday, April 25, 2025. Please RSVP by Sunday, April 20, 2025 at: https://qrco.de/bfss9M.

We look forward to celebrating this milestone in affordable housing with you and click below to learn more about P.E.A.C.H.!

What are the P.E.A.C.H. Apartments?

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Serving an integral population of our community.
“We feel that we should still be here” - Phillip Walker, the inspiration for the P.E.A.C.H. Apartments

The Inspiration for PEACH

Phillip Walker, a native of Chapel Hill, faced challenges in finding affordable housing in the community where he grew up. Earning only $9 an hour working at UNC-Chapel Hill, and with rising rental prices and gentrification in the area, Phillip and his family were left without permanent housing.

Thus, the P.E.A.C.H. project found its mission: to provide affordable rental apartments for essential workers like Phillip, empowering individuals and families to live in the Chapel Hill community they serve.

Creating a Vibrant Legacy in a Historical Community

The P.E.A.C.H. Apartments broke ground in the historically African-American neighborhood of Pine Knolls in fall of 2023. The community includes many permanent residents earning 30-60% of the median income who are already housed.

Located in downtown Chapel Hill on a bus route within walking distance of The University of North Carolina and NC Memorial Hospital, these apartments will provide quality, affordable housing for essential workers to be able to live in the community that they work in.

A Model for Future Affordable Rentals Projects

The P.E.A.C.H. Apartments will offer vulnerable populations a variety of floor plans, including ADA-accessible units. The complex will include 2 studios, 4 one bedrooms, 3 two bedrooms, and 1 three-bedroom apartment. This allows a diverse array of individuals and families to be served.