Open Door Community Turns Local Housing Need into 32 New Homes at Monroe North

VCDC is excited to welcome Monroe North Apartments to our portfolio

With the Open Door Community

August 2026 —At the crossroads of Interstates 81 and 77, Wytheville, Virginia is well positioned for growth—but too many residents still struggle to find housing that fits their incomes and needs. More than one in five Wytheville residents live below the poverty line, and the town’s median household income is under $50,000. The need for quality homes that remain affordable to working households, families, and seniors remains steady. Today, the development of Monroe North Apartments is bringing that much-needed housing one step closer and creating new possibilities for the people who call Wytheville home. 

Developed by Open Door Community (ODC), Monroe North brings 32 new affordable apartments to Wytheville, including homes for individuals and families who have experienced homelessness or housing instability. The project grew out of ODC's direct experience serving local residents. As demand for its shelter services increased, the organization recognized the need for more permanent affordable housing in the region. 

Monroe North will transform a block near downtown Wytheville into three two-story residential buildings. The community will be located across the street from a supermarket and within walking distance of a bus stop, shopping, and other businesses, helping connect residents with everyday necessities. 

The apartments will serve households earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income. Each home will include a patio or balcony, and a solar array will help reduce utility costs for residents. ODC has also been intentional about creating a development that fits into the surrounding neighborhood and provides residents with a home they can feel proud of. 

Open Door Community has served Wytheville and the surrounding region for more than 30 years. Originally established in 1993 as Helping Overcome Poverty’s Existence, or HOPE, Inc., the organization was founded to address the conditions contributing to poverty in Southwest Virginia. In 2007, HOPE merged with Mountain Shelter, Inc., expanding its work to help lower-income and disadvantaged families find and maintain affordable housing. 

In 2024, the organization began operating as Open Door Community to better represent the full range of services it provides and its growing impact across the region. Today, ODC's work includes housing crisis intervention, rental assistance, homeownership support, emergency housing, and workforce housing. The organization also operates Open Door Café, Southwest Virginia’s first donation-based community café, which serves lunch five days a week regardless of a patron’s ability to pay. 

VCDC has been a partner of Open Door Community for decades, and we are proud to continue that partnership through Monroe North. VCDC invested $4,307,649 in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity through VCDC Housing Equity Fund 29 to support the development.  

We also served as mortgage broker on behalf of Open Door Community, securing a commitment for and managing the closing of Virginia Housing tax-exempt bond financing. This represents the first LIHTC project in which VCDC has provided mortgage broker services to a partner. 

Monroe North was made possible through support from the Town of Wytheville, the Virginia Housing Opportunity Tax Credit program, Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Virginia Housing, and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The project is a strong example of how local, state, federal, public, and private partners can work together to address a community’s housing needs. 

For a rural community like Wytheville, the creation of 32 homes that are truly affordable is no small feat. Monroe North will provide greater stability for residents, help address a long-standing local need, and support continued growth in Wytheville and Wythe County. Most importantly, it builds on Open Door Community’s decades of work by creating more of what local residents need most: quality, affordable places to call home.