LeVelle Moton, the current basketball coach at North Carolina Central University, ties his success to where he grew up: Raleigh’s Lane Street housing projects, east of downtown.
He is so fond of his community that anything he does, he has the area in mind. In this regard, he is teaming up with Raleigh Area Land Trust (RALT) and Haven Design Build to build the Cottages of Idlewild, Raleigh’s first affordable “cottage court,” at 907 E. Lane St., according to The News & Observer.
The Idlewild community first came into existence in 1910, near Raleigh’s Capitol Square and St. Augustine’s University. The community allowed formerly enslaved individuals to own homes. However, the once vibrant black community is facing growing gentrification.
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The Cottages of Idlewild, which has been five years in the making, is Moton’s mission to preserve the historically black community. Upon completion, the project will establish 18 affordable homes on 1.7 acres of city-owned land.
It will feature four rental units for residents earning 50% to 80% of the area median income (AMI). That’s around $23,800 to $81,600, according to The News & Observer. There will also be 14 for-sale homes for first-time homebuyers at or below 60% percent of the AMI.
As per the outlet, the developers have secured $8.3 million in funding for the project from donors including the NC Realtors Housing Foundation, the Wells Fargo Foundation, and the Coastal Credit Union Foundation. With funding in place, the project is expected to take 14 to 18 months to finish.
“It brings me profound relief,” said Moton, 49, who moved to Raleigh at age 8, where his single mother, Hattie McDougald, raised him on her own. “I’m a son of the Idlewild community. These neighborhoods hold rich histories.”
Moton believes his step will help halt growing gentrification in the community. It was his quest to end gentrification that led him to establish his construction company in 2020 called Raleigh Raised Development.
In addition to this current project, his company is behind the redevelopment of Heritage Park, a housing project in Raleigh’s Warehouse District. “For me, it’s deeply personal. I’m fueled by a deep sense of responsibility.”
