Davidson Housing Coalition (DHC) believes that Davidson’s traditional mix of people in all income levels is fundamental to our community and distinguishes us as a town. The mission of Davidson Housing Coalition is to work with the larger community to preserve and create affordable housing options and to prepare families and individuals for financial stability and homeownership. Since its incorporation in 1997, DHC has sought to achieve its mission by providing housing and financial counseling, managing rental apartments, and conducting emergency home repairs to ensure the health and safety of existing homeowners. In February 2003, Davidson Housing Coalition, in collaboration with Davidson College, began exploring the addition of an emergency home repair program to its services to address a growing concern about the prevalence of substandard housing in the Lake Norman region. Created in 2005, HAMMERS, Hands Around Mecklenburg/Mooresville Making Emergency Repairs Safely, is the first program in northern Mecklenburg County to serve low-income homeowners in Mooresville, Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville. The program seeks to reduce or eliminate immediate threats to a household’s life, health or safety, utilizing volunteer labor and donated material wherever possible to minimize cost. In so doing, HAMMERS preserves existing affordable housing through the completion of emergency home repairs essential to the life, health, and safety of the household.