Community Development Department

The mission of the Community Development Department is to foster safe, decent and sustainable neighborhoods, and to enhance housing quality and affordability for the citizens of Durham.

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.

The Community Development Department is responsible for coordinating the City’s community development and neighborhood stabilization and revitalization efforts including financial empowerment and home retention, affordable housing, and homelessness services programs. The City implements these services by working with developers and community housing development organizations.

  1. Durham Emergency Rental Assistance (ERAP) Community Information Session

    Recording of members from The City of Durham - Community Development, Durham Department of Social Services and residents of the Durham community. Read on...

  2. Durham Emergency Rental Assistance Program Now Accepting Applications

    Durham residents who are behind on their rents and facing evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for financial help to stay in their homes from the new Durham Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Read on...
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DURHAM AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND

The $95 million housing bond was passed by the City of Durham voters on November 5, 2019. Combined with $65 million from local and federal funding, the $160 million City Affordable Housing Bond Investment Plan is working to provide housing to City of Durham residents with low to moderate income.

CURRENT:

2020-2021 Updates (Page link)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS

The Community Development Department solicited proposals for an Unsheltered Coordinating Agency responsible for evaluating, planning, leading, and implementing the response to unsheltered homelessness in Durham County. Project activities include Pre-case Management services, case management, encampment lead agency responsibilities, and community coordination. The Community Development Department expects to award approximately $1,075,000 in joint City and County funding under a Request for Proposals.

Affordable Housing Goals (PDF) 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN

On Thursday, February 21, 2019 the City of Durham City Council held a Special Work Session to receive and discuss the updated three to five-year Affordable Housing Plan from the Community Development Department.

DURHAM LAUNCHES AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOAN FUND

The City has partnered with Self-Help Credit Union, Duke University, North Carolina Community Development Initiative, and SunTrust on a new Durham Affordable Housing Loan Fund (DAHLF). DAHLF will help create incentive to build affordable housing by providing funding to nonprofits and affordable housing developers on a quicker timeline and at below-market interest rates. Click DAHLF to learn more about the fund and the loan products.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DENSITY BONUS

The City of Durham’s Community Development Department has developed draft policies and procedures to guide the utilization of the Affordable Housing Density Bonus described in Section 6.6 of Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The Community Development Department sought comments and suggestions from residents and developers about the Affordable Housing Bonus Policies Draft.                                                                                                                          

  • Addendum 1 Includes the revised RFP schedule.
  • Addendum 2 includes the answers to questions that were asked and answered in the workshop, as well as other questions submitted to CDD related to the Unsheltered Coordinating Agency RFP.  
  • Addendum 3 includes a clarification regarding question 25 in the application.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (hud) APPROVED PLAN DOCUMENTS

Details and archives for City of Durham's final approved documents detailing the current Consolidated Plans (Con Plans), Annual Action Plans (AAP), and Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports (CAPER) are found in the Administration tab. (left).

CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CON PLAN)

The Consolidated Plan is a comprehensive five-year planning document that outlines how the City of Durham and Durham County Consortium, as applicable, will utilize Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds.

The City's Consolidated Plan sets broad strategic goals and defines the priorities and needs as they relate to housing and community development. 

2020-2024 Durham Consolidated Plan

ANNUAL ACTION PLAN (AAP)

The Annual Action Plan describes how the City intends to invest its CDBG, HOME, HOPWA and ESG funds in the community each fiscal year. Both the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan are required to be submitted to HUD as a condition of receiving funding under certain federal programs. 

2020 Durham Annual Action Plan

CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORTS (CAPER)

The CAPER is an evaluation and performance report that is required to be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at the end of each grantee's fiscal year. The CAPER details the housing and community development accomplishments of the City of Durham and the Durham County Consortium, as applicable for each fiscal year.

The CAPER reports on activities funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Programs. 

2018 Durham CAPER

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) LEAD PROGRAM

The City of Durham received Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Grant and Healthy Homes Supplemental Grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The City has completed a Tiered Environmental Review for the activities that will take place under this grant. Units located within the City of Durham geographic boundaries and meeting the program requirements will be eligible.

2019 DURHAM CONTINUUM OF CARE 

The Community Development Department, as the Durham Continuum of Care Lead Agency, has initiated the 2019 Durham Continuum of Care Pre-Application process. The Durham Continuum of Care anticipates that it will be eligible to apply for approximately $1,500,000 in funding Department of Housing and Urban Development. A workshop outlining the details and timeline for the pre-application process was held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

 2019 Durham Continuum Pre-Application Workshop Presentation (PDF)

Longtime Homeowner Grant Program

This grant program is designed to assist longtime homeowners that experienced an increase in their property taxes due to the City of Durham’s revitalization efforts in the Southside, Northeast Central Durham, and Southwest Central Durham target areas.

Information on this program including how to apply (link)