Raleigh and Durham public housing communities set for huge transformations
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A rendering of the Heritage Park redevelopment in Raleigh. Photo: Raleigh Housing Authority
Raleigh and Durham are both on the cusp of seeing major public housing communities redeveloped into large mixed-use and mixed-income projects.
Why it matters: The plans aim to provide new affordable units in cities where housing costs have soared while shifting to a public housing model that views mixed-income communities as producing better outcomes than communities dedicated completely to affordable units.
Driving the news: The Raleigh Housing Authority recently approved a rezoning request that will let it build up to 12 stories high on the site of the Heritage Park public housing community.
- In Durham, the Forest Hills Heights public housing community is set for a major transformation, too.
Between the lines: In both cities, the redevelopment of public housing is occurring in areas that were affected by urban renewal plans of the mid-2oth century.
- In Durham, that includes the historic Hayti neighborhood, which saw hundreds of homes and businesses demolished for the Durham Freeway.
- Raleigh's redevelopment will happen in the historic Fourth Ward neighborhood that also saw hundreds of homes demolished in the name of urban renewal.
Here's what's planned:
Heritage Park: Located on 11 acres of land, Heritage Park was home to 122 affordable housing units before it was demolished.
- Built in the 1970s, many of the units had fallen into significant disrepair, according to the Raleigh Housing Authority, which owns the property.
Context: The property is located in one of the fastest-changing parts of Raleigh, where thousands of apartments are being built on the edge of Dix Park.
Zoom in: The Raleigh Housing Authority won approval this month to build up to 12 stories tall on the property. They could even build up to 18 stories given that it is in a transit district with a residential height bonus.
- The full plan for the site has not yet been decided, but as part of the rezoning request, the housing authority would need to provide at least 122 affordable units.
- It says it aims to build even more across multiple phases of construction. The first phase will target 51 units for senior housing, but the ultimate goal is to build enough housing for 1,000 residents as well as space for businesses and retail.
- Up to 870 apartment units are allowed under the new zoning.
Tribute Rising: A similar-size project could be rising near the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham.
The latest: The Durham Housing Authority and the Atlanta developer Integral Group have filed plans to build up to 907 residential units on the site of the former Forest Hills Heights property, the Triangle Business Journal reported.
- The project would replace the 55 affordable apartments that made up Forest Hills Heights with a mixed-income community.
- The first phase would include an apartment building with 352 apartments, of which 100 would be for people making 50% to 60% of the area's median income.
- It would also set aside space for Durham's Black Farmers Market to use, according to The News & Observer.
The big picture: Tribute Rising is just one part of the Durham Housing Authority's efforts to improve its affordable housing options downtown.
- The authority is also partnering on a 555-unit mixed-income project on Liberty Street and a multiphase redevelopment of the former Fayette Place property that will add hundreds of more affordable units.
