The New Bern Redevelopment Commission has reached a milestone in Phase I of its housing program, with plans to build seven to nine new houses and rehab at least one existing property. It centers in a section called “The Avenues,” west of Craven Terrace and bordered by Broad, Miller and Cedar streets. The commission, armed with a 20-year redevelopment plan passed last spring, has worked since then at buying and rehabilitating structures for rentals to create a revenue stream for future housing. Building new homes is now in the plan. Jeff Ruggieri, director of Development Service for the city of New Bern, said it initially calls for building the free-standing homes along an area of 1st Avenue.