Last week, we republished a story from the 9th Street Journal about a community meeting between city and Durham Housing Authority officials and local residents addressing the controversial redevelopment of Fayette Place, a neighborhood within the Hayti community, and the Hayti Reborn proposal that was not selected for the redevelopment project. Reader Robert B. Glenn Jr of Durham sent us the following letter:

Your article states that “the housing authority stirred controversy after tapping Durham Community Partners to redevelop the Fayette Place site.” The process for selecting a developer was done pursuant to federally required procedures which were open and transparent as required by federal law. The fact that Hayti Reborn was not selected speaks to its lack of qualifications and nothing more.

For many advocates for the low-income community, the number one problem in Durham is affordable housing. The proposal will create 774 affordable housing units on Fayette Place. This development will target low-income residents, the vast majority of which will be black.

Beginning in 2018 there has been ample opportunity for public input in the development of the project. Durham CAN led a vigorous campaign to encourage the housing authority to develop affordable housing on the site. If you consult your archives, you will read about several actions held on the site by CAN to gather public engagement and input from the Hayti community. It was because of this public engagement process that the housing authority chose to build housing on the property.

Hayti Reborn was not rejected, rather a more qualified developer was chosen; one that has a track record necessary to raise the $189,000,000 needed for the development. The Hayti Reborn project plans to develop 2000 acres in the Hayti area. The Fayetteville Street development is less than 10% of that land. Building housing on the Fayetteville track will help secure the success of the development of the remaining 1981 acres.

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