[Durham INC] Durham Celebrates Southside Revitalization with Ribbon-Cutting June 6

[Blalock, Amy]

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CITY OF DURHAM
Office of Public Affairs
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC 27701

News Release


News Media Contact:
Amy Blalock
Sr. Public Affairs Specialist
(919) 560-4123 x 11253
(919) 475-7735 (cell)
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov>
http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://YouTube.com/CityofDurhamNC


For Immediate Release: May 23, 2014



Share!  Public invited to Southside Ribbon-Cutting June 6; http://bit.ly/RiGH4c



Durham Celebrates Southside Revitalization with Ribbon-Cutting June 6

DURHAM, N.C. - After years of planning and community-wide investment, the City of Durham will celebrate the success to date in the revitalization of the historic Southside neighborhood.

The first of 48 new homes have been built and sold at the corner of South and Fargo streets, and with more now under construction, and quickly sold, on nearby Hillside Avenue. To recognize this phase of a broader revitalization strategy for Southside, Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell and members of the City Council will join development partners, North Carolina legislators, federal officials, the Southside Neighborhood Association, and City staff in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and open house tours on Friday, June 6 at 9:30 a.m. in front of a model home at 804 South St. The event is free and open to the public.

According to Director Reginald J. Johnson with the City's Community Development Department, the construction and sales of the first of these single-family homes is both an affirmation of the commitment made by the City of Durham, and a cause for celebration. "The Bungalows at Southside represent yet another strategic investment by the City of Durham, continuing the revitalization and renewal of our city and neighborhoods," Johnson said. "In collaboration with Southside neighborhood residents and nonprofit, for-profit, and public sector partners, we have created an economically diverse neighborhood model that both complements Southside's historic past and looks to its future."

With 20 lots already sold or reserved for the 48 single-family homes being built, demand for homes within walking distance of downtown has been steady since the first four model homes were built. Half of the homes have been reserved for moderate-income buyers who qualify for special financing through the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and the City of Durham. Duke University and Duke Health Systems are also partners in this effort, providing eligible Duke employees with an additional $10,000 in down payment assistance.

The entire Southside redevelopment area consists of 125 acres located between downtown Durham and North Carolina Central University. Guided by a community-based steering committee, a Southside Revitalization Plan was developed with mixed-income rental development and the 48 single-family ownership homes now known as the Bungalows at Southside. The City's objective with this project is to stabilize this neighborhood and encourage long-term private investment through the creation of new, high-quality rental and homeownership units serving a broad range of incomes.

For more information on the Southside Revitalization Project, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/cb/cdd/Pages/ssd_revit.aspx.

About the Community Development Department
The City of Durham's Community Development Department is responsible for coordinating the City's housing resources and various housing assistance programs as well as promoting affordable housing by working with investors and community housing development organizations. The department administers the City's entitlement programs from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. Guided by the City's Strategic Plan, the department helps to ensure that the City has thriving, livable neighborhoods by enhancing housing quality and affordability for Durham residents. To learn more, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/cb/cdd/Pages/Home.aspx.

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