Chapel Hill approves projects with over 2 dozen affordable apartments, townhomes
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- Council approved up to 169 apartments and townhomes at Chapel Point Road.
- Approvals include roughly 27 affordable units to address middle-income housing need.
- Projects sit near transit, jobs and amenities and align with town Complete Community plan.
New residential developments on the edge of Chapel Hill will provide more options for living affordably and within walking distance of shops and jobs.
The Chapel Hill Town Council’s approved plans Wednesday night for up to 169 apartments and townhomes at 115 Chapel Point Road at Carraway Village on the northern edge of town.
The council also approved a for-sale townhome development at 5640 Old Chapel Hill Road, near the Durham County line.
The council’s decisions rezoned both parcels for denser construction and added roughly 27 affordable apartments and townhomes, addressing a portion of the town’s need for lower- and middle-income housing.
Chapel Hill’s average rent has risen 26% since 2020, to $1,759 a month for a two-bedroom apartment, town staff told the council in October. That leaves over half of the town’s renters cost-burdened, paying over 30% of their income for housing.
In 2023, the council set a goal of adding 900 new affordable units and preserving another 400 existing units. Roughly 30% of the new units and 40% of the preserved units are already completed or in progress, staff said.
More housing at Carraway Village
The 115 Chapel Point Road project site lies between Eubanks Road and Interstate 40, on a 19-acre tract that was approved in 2021 for a Putt-Putt Fun Center and self-storage building. That developer let the permit lapse in 2024.
Only about 6.5 acres can be developed, because the land includes a stream and surrounding tree buffers. Carraway Village developer Northwood Ravin initially planned a mix of apartments, townhomes and single-family homes, but council asked last year for more dense multifamily options.
On Wednesday, Northwood Ravin Vice President of Development Adam Golden presented two affordable housing options:
- 16 affordable apartments: Half would be priced for households earning up to 60% of the area median income — $62,460 a year for a family of three — and half for households earning up to 80% of the AMI, or $83,280 a year for a family of three.
- 14 affordable apartments and two townhomes, all priced for households earning up to 80% AMI.
Council member Camille Berry pressed for larger townhomes that she said would better serve families but failed to get another council member to support that option.
The council voted 7-1, with Berry dissenting, to approve the plan with 16 affordable apartments.
Chapel Point Road project details
- Location: 19 acres at Carraway Village
- What’s there now: Woods and a stream
- What’s approved: Up to 169 for-rent apartments and townhomes in three-story buildings
- Affordable housing: 10%, or 16 units
- Amenities: Greenway trail, green spaces, and a playground. Townhomes with rooftop space.
- Transportation: A Chapel Hill Transit park-and-ride lot is within walking distance
East Lakeview townhomes
E.B. Capital Partners developer Ernie Brown slightly reduced the number of units in his East Lakeview project, which lies at the corner of East Lakeview Road and Old Chapel Hill Road near the Durham-Chapel Hill city limits.
The plan approved unanimously Wednesday could add up to 76 townhomes and several four-story buildings. Some townhomes could be stacked vertically, instead of side-by-side, the plan notes.
This is the second project for E.B. Capital Partners on the eastern edge of town. The other is Chapel Hill Crossing, which could add over 300 apartments, cottages and townhouses near the Old Durham Road (Old Chapel Hill Road) and Pope Road roundabout.
East Lakeview is the final project slated for 50 acres of previously wooded land and modest single-family homes in an area the town calls Parkline East Village. The area was identified for a pilot project of the town’s new Complete Community strategy for mixed-use neighborhoods with pedestrian- and bike-friendly connections to jobs, school and shopping.
The area south of U.S. 15-501 is within walking distance of Wegmans and UNC Health’s growing Eastowne medical campus, and also includes The Parkline office building (formerly Blue Cross and Blue Shield).
State Employees Credit Union owns the Parkline campus and has not indicated when or if it could redevelop.
The other two projects approved for the area are 11 White Oak Drive, which will add up to 400 apartments and townhomes, and Meridian Lakeview, a neighborhood of 388 apartments with affordable options for seniors and green space for events, pop-up retail and food trucks.
East Lakeview project details
- Location: 4 wooded acres, with an old farm pond at 5640 Old Chapel Hill Road
- What’s there now: The land is undeveloped
- What’s approved: 34-76 townhomes, in four-story buildings
- Amenities: Greenway and a small courtyard
- Affordable housing: 15%, or roughly 11 townhomes. Half would be priced for a household earning up to 65% of the area median income — $67,665 a year for a family of three, for example — and half for a household earning up to 80%, or $83,280 a year for a family of three.
- Transportation: The property is within walking distance of a bus stop.
This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 8:11 AM with the headline "Chapel Hill approves projects with over 2 dozen affordable apartments, townhomes."
