CBS 17 By Baron James

The City of Cary, Wake County, and state leaders broke ground Monday morning on a new affordable housing development called Marigold.

The Marigold apartment complex will be built on 921 SE Maynard Road, near the Fenton development and Cary Middle School.

Renderings of the Marigold were on display during the groundbreaking, depicting some of the 126 apartments. The city says half the apartments will be reserved for households at 30%, 60%, and 80% of the area median income and cater to annual household incomes below $70,000.

“Today’s groundbreaking represents not only new construction, but also hope, progress, and inclusion,” Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said. “Our community’s economic vitality depends in large part on having sufficient housing that is affordable, diverse, and available for all,”

A $1 million federal grant will help move the project forward. Rep. Deborah Ross presented the check from the United States Treasury at the groundbreaking.

“Many of those contributing to our economy, teachers, health care workers, first responders, struggle to find a place where they can live and work,” Ross said. “By offering below market rate, this complex will be more than just housing. It will be a cornerstone of the community, offering accessibility, diversity, and stability.”

The Marigold is set to welcome renters by Spring 2026.

Meanwhile, the City of Cary is partnering with developers and churches to create more affordable housing, including senior housing about a mile away from the Marigold development site.

According to the city, more than 40% of North Carolina renters are categorized as housing cost-burdened, which means they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. 

In 2022, Ross requested funding for 15 community projects in Wake County. Last December, President Joe Biden signed funding for these projects into law, delivering more than $26 million back to District 2 communities from Cary to Wendell to Rollsville.