Shining a Spotlight on Buckeye Community Hope Foundation

At the NC Housing Table, we believe collaboration is key to creating meaningful change. That’s why we are proud to spotlight a valued partner in the Policy Roundtable Series — an organization whose commitment to housing solutions is helping to move North Carolina forward.

What guiding principles have allowed the Buckeye Community Hope Foundation to remain both consistent and innovative in its mission to provide affordable housing? – Buckeye Community Hope Foundation (BCHF) has been providing high-quality, affordable housing for nearly 35 years.  Over that time, we have stayed focused on what we do well.  BCHF hasn’t ventured into the market rate or commercial markets.  This focus is a big reason for our success and longevity.  We have seen ups and downs in the industry related to market changes, regulatory and legislative changes, and even a global pandemic.  While these changes are challenging to navigate, our desire to provide housing for low-income families hasn’t wavered. 

With over 130 projects in service, how has BCHF seen affordable housing transform the lives of low-income families and seniors? – The work that we do at BCHF provides our residents with a place that they can call home.  Many of our properties are located in rural areas and are the only affordable option for miles.  Providing our residents with the stability that a home offers is why we do what we do.  Seeing families benefit from the stability that a home provides is extremely rewarding.  A home provides a base for their future success.   

Beyond housing, your support services division provides case management to help families and seniors thrive. What needs do you see most often, and how does BCHF work to address them holistically? – Our supportive service team provides case management and service referrals to thousands of our tenants.  The needs of our residents are varied.  Many of our senior residents require meal delivery and light housekeeping services.  Others also utilize locally provided transportation services.  Our families benefit from continuing education programs, coordinating SNAP benefits, and linkages with local healthcare providers.  We also work with many parents on lining up after-school child care.  Pairing these services with the affordability of the housing helps set our residents up for success.

BCHF’s expansion into charter school sponsorship is unique for a housing foundation. How does the education division’s support of 52 schools and 14,000 students align with your broader vision for community development and stability? While housing provides a base for our families, BCHF knows that education is a key factor for long-term successful outcomes in communities.  Housing and education go hand in hand.  Without a decent, safe, sanitary place to call home, it is difficult to focus on your education.  At the same time, getting a good education sets residents up for the future. 

Looking ahead, what opportunities and challenges do you see for affordable housing and integrated community support in North Carolina and beyond? How is BCHF preparing to meet those challenges? – Like every other state, North Carolina faces an affordable housing shortage.  Current programmatic funding is not adequate to address this need.  We have an opportunity and a duty to push for funding to help address the shortage.  BCHF strives to be more active in advocating for funds that will help low-income residents of North Carolina and across the country.  Also, we are always looking for ways to attract additional private investment into the projects we build. https://bchf.org