Wanda Urbanska has begun working with the Raleigh nonprofit initiative Builders of Hope, which states as its mission: "To increase the availability of high-quality, safe, affordable housing for working families."
More specifically: Builders of Hope recycles houses.
Founded by former housing developer Nancy Murray in 2007, Builders employs a process (which is in the process of being patented) for saving houses that would otherwise be torn down and carted to the landfill. The houses are sometimes renovated on site, but more often are moved and placed on new foundations in pre-planned green communities.
"These new neighborhoods are wholly comprised of rescued and recycled homes," Murray said. "They're completely rebuilt to meet green building criteria and new energy efficiency standards."
The organization has four developments locally, in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Fuquay-Varina. Builders also has two communities in Charlotte and is about to embark on an ambitious project in New Orleans.
"We will be rescuing over 100 houses slated for demolition," Murray said. "The homes will be moved, historically rehabilitated and made available to individuals earning 80 percent or below area median income."
"They're really changing the assumptions about affordable housing," said Urbanska, who is working on a book about Builders of Hope. "The longstanding paradigm had been that you tear it down, then build in new units. They're saying, 'We can do it more cheaply by salvaging and retrofitting.'
"It's a big deal for Raleigh to have an organization like this. Nancy really envisions this - and she'll say it - as the next Habitat for Humanity."
