Our History

Cape Fear Regional CDC was founded in 1989 as the Wilmington-New Hanover CDC. In 2002 the CDC broadened its target area to include Pender, Brunswick, Onslow, Duplin, Bladen, Sampson and Columbus Counties. In 1995 the CDC completed construction of the 12,000 square foot Wilmington Business Center, a small business incubator designed to foster the growth of small businesses by providing affordable office, laboratory and industrial space linked with essential support services. Business counseling services are offered which include assistance in formulating a business plan, identifying and securing necessary financing, incorporating proven management practices, managing inventory and payroll, adopting an effective marketing strategy and acquiring other essential business skills. To date, over 50 businesses have received assistance through the business center.

In the area of housing, the CDC has been an active affordable housing developer in the Wilmington area since 1996. Designated as a CHDO (Community Housing Development Organization) by the City of Wilmington, the CDC has received funding through the HUD CDBG and HOME programs. To date, the CDC has constructed 25 new affordable single-family homes in the City, which have been sold to HUD income eligible families. Presently the CDC is administering a $300,000+ contract with the City to acquire, rehabilitate and rent foreclosed properties.

The CDC became a HUD certified Housing Counseling Agency in 2002. The CDC is certified to provide counseling in the following areas: Pre-Purchase, Pre-Rental, Homebuyer Education, Post Occupancy, Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), Mortgage Default Counseling and Foreclosure Mitigation. We are a partner housing counseling agency of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project administering foreclosure prevention assistance programs funded by the NC Foreclosure Prevention Fund, National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) and Mortgage Payment Program (MPP) programs.

The CDC owns a 25-acre tract of land in the City of Northwest in Brunswick County. A comprehensive site development plan has been completed that will include single and multi-family housing for lower income families and elderly citizens, a community center and commercial space.

In April 2008 the CDC was awarded an Urgent Repair Program (URP08) grant of $75,000 by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA). Program funds were utilized to assist 19 elderly and other low-income homeowners in New Hanover and Brunswick Counties to obtain repairs to their homes to alleviate conditions that posed an immediate threat to their health and safety.

In 2008 the CDC entered into a contract with Holland Consultants to manage the disbursal of funds for the Columbus County Crisis Housing Assistance Fund (CHAF) program, the $1,582,195 project was completed in 2009 and constructed 19 new replacement homes and rehabilitated 3 homes.

In 2009 the CDC was awarded an NCHFA Single Family Rehab (SFR09) grant of $400,000 to assist 9 elderly and other low-income homeowners in Bladen County to obtain comprehensive home repairs.

In February 2010 the CDC was awarded $500,000 by the North Carolina Community Development Initiative to implement a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) in New Hanover and Brunswick Counties. The CDC utilizes NSP funds to acquire, rehabilitate and resell or rent foreclosed homes to families at 120% of median income or below. Since the initial implementation of the program the grant has been increased to $1,900,000. To date 7 homes have been acquired, rehabilitated and sold and 4 homes have been acquired that will be rented.

In April 2010 the CDC was awarded another NCHFA Single Family Rehab (SFR10) grant of $200,000 to assist 4 elderly and other low-income homeowners in New Hanover County to obtain comprehensive home repairs.

In 2011 the CDC was awarded a $150,000 Urgent Repair Program (URP11) grant by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA). Program funds are utilized to assist elderly and other low-income homeowners in New Hanover and Bladen Counties to obtain repairs to their homes to alleviate conditions that pose an immediate threat to health and safety.

In 2012 the CDC was awarded a grant of $381,600 from NCHFA’s Housing Counseling Agency Capacity Building Program, funded by the 2012 National Mortgage Settlement. Funds will be utilized to enhance the CDC’s ability to provide foreclosure prevention counseling throughout our nine county target area.

The 2012 the CDC received a grant from Bank of America to assist with our foreclosure prevention efforts. In 2013 Bank of America donated a house located at 711 Campbell Street, Wilmington to the CDC and awarded us a grant of $5,000 to assist with the rehabilitation of the property.

Help us continue to offer help for homeowners, renters and small businesses in the Cape Fear region by contributing through our secure donation portal below: