HAWS looks to Forsyth County for help with affordable housing initiative

The Housing Authority of Winston-Salem is looking for help from Forsyth County to fill a multimillion-dollar gap in a project that could bring more affordable housing to the area.

The CHOICE Neighborhood Initiative aims to revitalize the Cleveland Avenue neighborhood. The five-phase project is expected to bring more than 400 mixed-income affordable housing units to Winston-Salem.

City officials recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of the first phase of the project called Brown School Lofts. But the next step faces a $2 million funding gap.

That's according to an update presented to the Housing Authority of Winsotn-Salem (HAWS) Board of Commissioners this week.

HAWS Executive Director Kevin Cheshire said he's now requesting the county's support to help fund the project.

"If we do not get the money from the county, we're still looking to close the funding gap, and it's going to push closing back into 2025 would be my best guess," he said.

The second phase of the project consists of 72 units and is tentatively scheduled to close in October.