Hillsborough residents who hear explosive noises or alarms near town are not imaging things.

The town government shared an alert on social media Monday telling community members to expect noise from blasting at the construction site of Auman Village off U.S. Highway 70A near Meadowlands Drive. Monday was reportedly the first day of that stage of site clearance, with Hillsborough saying construction crews will sound an alarm before each blast.

Auman Village is the latest project in Hillsborough by the Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. The nonprofit purchased nearly 11 acres of property off U.S. Highway 70A, which were previously home to longtime community members Glenn and Henrietta Auman, in 2020. The project will bring a 75-unit townhome community to the area — 60 of which will be reserved for first-time homebuyers earning between 30-80% of the average median income. Additionally, Habitat for Humanity and the advocacy group Orange County Justice United are partnering to raise $2 million to provide ten units for families on the lower end of that scale. The remaining units will be marketed as workforce housing and sold around 80-120% AMI.

Auman Village broke ground in June 2025 and construction is anticipated to last for several years, with the nonprofit not having publicly shared a projected completion date. Meanwhile, the blasting at the site is expected to continue through early November, according to the Town of Hillsborough. The construction team being used by Habitat for Humanity completed a pre-inspection of nearby homes ahead of the explosions and any homeowner who believes their building is effected by a blast can request a post-inspection, according to the nonprofit.

Featured photo by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.

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