Highlands’ shortage of affordable housing is no secret.
From houses selling for seven figures, to apartments renting for $2,000 a month or more, the options for middle class working people are few and far between.
David and Debbie Bock hope they have found a way to lessen the burden on some workers who want to live close to town. The Bocks and their team of investors are developing a 35-acre tract off of Cherrywood Lane near the Dollar General on Cashiers Road with workforce housing in mind.
The plan is to put approximately 170 manufactured homes on the property and charge rent that is below the standard going rate in Highlands.
“David saw this property and he immediately had a vision for what it could be,” Debbie Bock said. “So far we have opened the first 15 units and we are starting the second phase now as the homes are delivered.”
The residences come in two or three-bedroom floor plans and range in price from $1,700 to $2,500 per month. While Bock said she understands those rates aren’t “cheap” the development is brand new and many of the units are being leased by multiple renters with the same employer.
“If you figure a three-bedroom unit, at $2,500 per month, and you split that three ways then it’s much more affordable than if someone were trying to find an apartment in Highlands on their own,” Bock said. “Water and septic is included as is high-speed internet, so the only utility the renters have to pay is electric.”
Each unit features a front porch and a parking area that can accommodate at least two vehicles.
The property features an on-site wastewater system large enough to accommodate the entire community and a caretaker that lives in one of the units.
“Having someone here is important to us because we want to keep the neighborhood nice,” Bock said. “The people who are living here want a nice quiet place to live and we want that for them.”
Bock added that a majority of the currently rented units are employees of area country clubs in Highlands and Cashiers.
“In some cases, those employers have been so eager to find housing for their workers that they have agreed to supplement their rent,” Bock said. “That works great for what we are trying to do. We also have employers that take the employees rent out of their paycheck and then pays us at the first of the month. That way we don’t have to chase down each individual renter to make sure they’ve paid, which is convenient for everybody.”
The community will be built out in several phases, but the roads for the development and the drainage infrastructure are already in place. The main road through the property is named in honor of the Bock’s friend Tug Helmer, who passed away in 2022.
“Tug’s uncle is an investor in the community and Tug was always supportive of projects aimed at improving life in Highlands,” Bock said. “So we felt like it was appropriate to make the middle road Tug’s Way.”
While there is no timetable for when phase two of the development will be ready for additional renters, Bock noted that it will be “sooner rather than later.”
For more information about the community, call 706-982-0444.