The award recognizes the success of Valley River Apartments, a 56-unit housing community developed by the Western North Carolina Housing Partnership to provide quality, affordable homes for working families in Cherokee County. Valley River Apartments offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes for families whose incomes fall within affordable housing guidelines. The community was opened in 2025.

"Valley River Apartments represents years of hard work, partnership, and most importantly, commitment to making sure local families have access to safe, quality housing. We are proud that this project is being recognized as a model for rural communities across North Carolina."

Joy Strassel, Executive Director of the Western North Carolina Housing Partnership, said the award reflects the determination of local partners who persevered through disruptions and funding shortages due to the COVID19 pandemic period.

"Communities across Western North Carolina continue to face significant housing challenges," Strassel said. "Valley River Apartments demonstrates what can be accomplished when local governments, nonprofit organizations, state agencies, and community partners work together toward a common goal."

Joining Radford and Strassel at the ceremony were Susie Graham of Partnership Property Management, Western North Carolina Housing Partnership Board Chair Sherry Griffin, Board Members Olivia Collier and Karen Keihna, and Reginald Speight, Assistant Secretary for Rural Economic Development at the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

Valley River Apartments serves households earning between 40 and 60 percent of area median income and includes community amenities designed to support residents and families.

The award was presented during the annual Partners Conference hosted by the Community Affordable Housing Equity Corporation (CAHEC), a regional housing investment organization that supports affordable housing developments throughout the Southeast. The full list of Partners that collaborated to realize Valley River Apartments includes the Western North Carolina Housing Partnership (lead developer), Town of Murphy, North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA), Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP), North Carolina Department of Commerce (including CDBG-NR funding), Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Dogwood Health Trust, CAHEC (Corporation for Affordable Housing Investments of the Southeast), Churchill Stateside Group, McGill Associates, Mills Construction Co., Partnership Property Management, Cherokee County, and the Southwestern Commission.

Source: Town of Murphy.