Durham, N.C. - Officials from private business, higher education and the United Methodist Church signed an agreement April 22 to build a model house designed to promote the need for quality migrant housing.

Representatives from Mt. Olive Pickle Company, Harvey Farms of Kinston, DukeUniversity and the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church signed the agreement in a ceremony at First United Methodist Church in Mount Olive.

The 2,800 square foot house, designed to house up to 17 workers, will be built on land owned by Harvey Farms, just off U.S. 70 near Kinston. Construction is expected to start in late summer, with completion well before March 2006.

Mt. Olive, Duke and the Duke Endowment on behalf of the N.C. Conference contributed a total of $130,000 toward construction of the house, estimated to cost approximately $270,000. Mt.Olive also funded the project's design work, done by Partin-Hobbs & Associates of Goldsboro.

The agreement is the culmination of two and a half years of effort that began with a partnership forged between Duke and Mt.Olive. The two came together in August, 2002 to discuss issues confronting migrant farm workers in North Carolina. The N.C. Conference entered the discussions about the project in late 2003.

"The issue of good housing for migrant farm workers is a long standing one with the United Methodist Church and other members of the North Carolina Council of Churches," said Charles M. Smith, director of Connectional Ministries of the N.C. Conference and a Duke trustee. "We are thankful for the opportunity to be in partnership on this project."

Duke has long been involved in affordable housing efforts in the Durham area, said John Burness, Duke's senior vice president for government affairs and public relations. The migrant housing project is an extension of that interest.

"When we were talking with Mt. Olive a couple of years ago, one of the priorities we all recognized was the need for adequate, decent housing," Burness said. "The N.C. Conference, Duke and Mt. Olive all resolved to make something important happen."

The house was designed with several basic parameters: it must meet or exceed the state's migrant housing standards; it must address the needs of the farmworkers who occupy the house; and it must be simple to replicate.

The goal of the project is to generate awareness regarding the need for quality migrant housing in North Carolina. The agreement stipulates not only the financial contributions of Mt. Olive, Duke, and the N.C. Conference, but also the responsibilities of Harvey Farms to maintain the house and make it available for others around the state to visit.