Eric Church has broken ground on one of the big ways he aims to help those devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024: new housing.

The Blue Haven housing development is located in Avery County, North Carolina, and is funded by Chief Cares, the nonprofit Eric and his wife, Katherine Church, founded in 2013.

“The land we stand on today sits in the heart of a county that has meant so much to me,” Eric said at the groundbreaking on Friday. “This is a place my family and I are proud to call home. ... Mountain people, my people.”

The goal is to build 45 houses, which are a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom floorpans. Selected families will be able to live there for three years and get help with housing expenses as they get on their feet. After that, they'll have the option to buy the homes with help from Chief Cares.

The first families are expected to be able to move in by late summer of this year.

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