GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — The Greenville Housing Authority is receiving over $2 million for a project to help those who are transitioning out of foster care. It’s one of nine projects supported by Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-District 1).

On Wednesday, Butterfield presented the award where the new apartments will be built. By next fall, that space will be filled with 20 new apartments which will help young adults transition their way out of foster care.

Butterfield said providing this housing is a step in the right direction.

“I did not have a full appreciation for the challenges that foster children face before going into Congress,” Butterfield said. “I knew it was there, I knew it was an issue, but I did not realize the full weight of what we have to deal with foster care children. Now I understand it.”

The Arise Apartments will be located at 2818 Best Road in Greenville. These apartments will be the first of their kind in the state. With the help of housing vouchers, GHA Executive Director and CEO Wayman Williams said they hope to provide options.

“This will be an option for them, in other words, they can take that voucher and come over to Arise, which we will have apartments available that will be affordable and the barriers will not be there,” Williams said. “We will have the support services.”

Those support services will be counseling, training and case management. The three-story apartments will also have all the amenities tenants will need.

Greenville City Councilwoman Monica Daniels shared her passion for why helping those who are underserved get the assistance they need to live healthy lives.

“Unfortunately we know that youth that are 18 are not always adults yet, and they need our help to do some of the minor things such as clothes and do things like this,” Daniels said. “So I believe that this project is gonna be major in assisting them be the family that they don’t have.”

Officials don’t know the exact date of when construction for the apartments will be complete, but they are hoping and aiming for fall 2023.