Applications are now open for Blue Haven, a housing development for Helene victims located in Avery County. The development is funded by the Chief Cares Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Eric Church, a country music star and native of North Carolina.
Ground was broken on the Blue Haven development in April, and according to a video announcement from Church and Chief Cares, the first homes in the development were completed in September.
“Most importantly, we have identified our first residents,” said Church in the video announcement. “These are the very people we want to have as part of Blue Haven, pillars of the community that stand tall and strong, making our community greater than the sum of its parts.”
Brenda, a resident of Avery County and recipient of a Blue Haven home, has served as a cafeteria manager for Avery County schools for 16 years. “Rent is more than I make a month,” she told Chief Cares. “A mortgage is just not doable for me.”
Blue Haven applications are open not only to those directly impacted by the storm but also to educators, healthcare workers, and first responders, as well as “those who selflessly serve Western North Carolina,” according to a press release from Chief Cares.
Blue Haven will feature 40 to 45 homes, offering a range of floor plans with one to three bedrooms. Chief Cares and its partners spearhead the effort by acquiring the land, developing the infrastructure, and constructing the homes. In addition, Chief Cares will provide financial assistance for up to three years to select families as they rebuild their lives. Families will also have the option to purchase their homes, with help accessing resources provided by Chief Cares as needed.
“Keeping the community intact has been my goal all along,” said Church, in a press release. “And what we’ve learned these past several months is that offering long-term housing to the people who hold our communities together—from those whose homes were lost, to those who are critical to rebuilding—will bring the greatest impact. We’re responding in real time to the evolving needs of Western North Carolina. Chief Cares is here for the long haul.”
Emergency relief efforts are essential in the aftermath of a disaster, said the press release, but Chief Cares is focused on the next step: helping families forge a way forward to dignity, homeownership, and stability. The effort was launched under Chief Cares’ initiative, Blueprint for the Blue Ridge.
AmeriHealth and the AMY Wellness Foundation have also invested $6 million into the Blueprint for the Blue Ridge initiative to help fund key infrastructure, wraparound services, and expanded housing capacity across Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties, according to the press release.
“Home ownership is one of the most powerful tools we have to build stability and generational wealth,” said Luke Howe, executive director of AMY Wellness Foundation (AMYWF), in a press release. “Through this partnership, families in our region will have greater access to lasting opportunity, economic mobility, and a place to truly call home.”
AMYWF and AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina are partnering on a major revitalization project in downtown Burnsville, Yancey County. The initiative will transform a historic building into affordable apartments and create space for local businesses, thereby strengthening the town’s economy while addressing the urgent demand for housing.
We are proud to support our local partners in the important work of rebuilding and growing in this region that was so devastated by Hurricane Helene,” said AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina Market President Heidi Chan in the press release. “Together with AMY Wellness Foundation, we are advancing a shared mission to build healthier communities in Western North Carolina with stable housing and access to health care that will support folks in living and working here for years to come.”
Earlier this year, Church announced through Chief Cares that he is looking to purchase more land, as the development has already sold out even before the groundbreaking. Families are expected to inhabit Blue Haven by the end of this summer, as homes are currently under construction. Chief Cares states that their ultimate goal is to develop a nationally recognized model for disaster recovery, grounded in the enduring values of permanence, pride, and place.
“We’re not just building homes—we’re investing in the people that will carry this community forward for generations,” concluded Church in the press release. “This isn’t about short-term solutions. It’s about long-term hope.”
Chief Cares plans to have families moving into the homes by Thanksgiving and is on track to build at least 200 homes across the western part of the state. Applications for Blue Haven are now open, and interested parties can learn about the eligibility or start an application here.
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