Durham Digest: October 2022

Your quarterly update from the City of Durham—visit durhamnc.gov for the latest news.

rendering shows exterior of Willard Street Apartments

Affordable Housing Progress Is Underway in Durham

‘Forever Home, Durham’ is our ongoing program to create affordable opportunities for renters and homeowners. Visit ForeverHomeDurham.com to learn how we are working with community partners to complete these and other opportunities.

Willard Street Apartments Welcomes Residents: This award-winning downtown community—close to transit, jobs, and more—created 82 apartments for low-income residents (pictured above).
Affordable Housing Expands for Seniors: The Joyce is a new affordable housing complex for seniors expected to open in 2023; and nearby, the JJ Henderson senior development is under renovation.
Fairhaven Walk and Sandy Ridge Station Move Forward: These two new affordable housing developments will add a combined 324 one, two, and three-bedroom units in the Bragtown neighborhood.
Construction Training Provides Jobs: A new partnership will help train low-income residents for jobs in the construction industry.
Homeownership Brought Within Reach: Through a down payment assistance program, low-income residents can apply for up to $20,000 to help purchase a home.

Learn more about our affordable housing efforts

construction workers spread fresh asphalt

Maintaining Our City Streets Over the Next Five Years

We now know the results of our most recent Pavement Condition Study and options for managing our city’s streets over the next five years. The study was conducted last summer to determine the condition of nearly 770 miles of city streets (not including streets maintained by the NC Department of Transportation).

The study confirms the benefits of the City’s use of pavement preservation, uses equity as a factor in prioritizing maintenance, and makes recommendations for future funding. City streets were rated on a scale from good to failed, with an overall average Pavement Condition Index rating of 69 out of 100 points.

To see improvements in the overall condition of our streets network, our staff is recommending that $19 million be spent annually on city-maintained streets over the next ten years.

Learn more about the Pavement Condition Study

left image: hand pulls a wet wipe out of a canister; right image: cooking grease is poured from a pan into a can

Protect Water & Sewer: Throw Away Wipes and Grease

Make sure to properly dispose of wipes and grease that can cause backups, clogged pipes, and sewer overflows. This can result in potentially serious environmental health impacts and can damage our wastewater treatment plants, sanitary sewer collection system, and your home.

A Word on Wipes—Do Not Flush!
Nonwoven products labeled as “flushable wipes” can clog our sewers. Unlike toilet paper, these materials don’t break down sufficiently in water. Wet wipes, baby wipes, towelettes, cleaning wipes, tissues, and paper towels can wreak havoc on your home plumbing, septic tanks, and Durham’s sanitary sewer collection system. Bottom line—wipes belong in the garbage can!

Don’t Pour Grease Down the Drain!
Fats, oils, and grease should also be disposed of properly and kept out of the sink. Grease sticks to the inside of sewer pipes, which decreases pipe capacity, requires more cleaning or replacement, and hampers effective treatment at our wastewater reclamation facility. Reduce these risks by following these guidelines:

Pour cooled grease into a container with a lid and place in the garbage can.
Scrape cookware grease into the trash using a paper towel or spatula.
Place food scraps in the garbage can.
Take residential cooking oil to the City’s Waste Disposal Center at no cost.

Learn more about the impact of grease and wipes

Trunk or Treat

Join us for a free, fun-filled family event celebrating fall! Open car trunks will offer candy and display decorations for ages 7 and up. View event details.

Barktoberfest

Don’t miss an afternoon of fun for canines and their families, including a costume contest, games, a beer garden, pet-friendly organizations and vendors, food vendors, and more! View event details.

HallowEno

Bring the whole family for our annual evening of Halloween fun! Designed particularly for ages 12 and under, this free event features campfire stories and songs, hayrides, treats, crafts, games, and more. View event details.

Holiday Parade

Mark your calendar for the Durham Holiday Parade when dynamic floats, hometown bands, drill teams, schools, community groups and more will make their way down Main Street. View event details.

Upcoming Holiday Closings

Most City offices will be closed to the public on the following dates:

Veterans Day, November 11
Thanksgiving, November 24 & 25
Christmas, December 23 & 26
New Year’s Closing, January 2

Visit our calendar for more details and events

Text Durham One Call: 919-813-6315

Now you can text Durham One Call for quick answers or requests that don’t require a phone call or detailed explanation to resolve. Just text a word or phrase in English related to your question or request such as “bulky item” or “water service.” You will get a quick response with helpful info, links, or next steps.

Tree Planting Program Reaches Milestone

Launched in 2018, our Tree Planting Program aims to maintain and increase the street tree canopy throughout Durham. In just four years, 6,213 trees have been planted, largely in historically underserved communities. Trees provide many benefits to residents including lower energy bills, reduced pollution and runoff, and more. Check out our webpage for details and ways to help.

City Council Considers Ward Redistricting

On November 21, City Council will consider how to redistrict the City’s three wards for population balance. The ward system provides representation from different areas of the city, with three Council Members elected to represent the ward they live in. Wards do not affect where a resident votes or which candidate(s) a resident can vote for.

ShotSpotter Gunfire Detection Pilot Program

In response to violent crime in Durham, City Council funded a pilot program for a gunfire detection system called ShotSpotter. This technology uses sensors—placed on light poles, public buildings, or telephone poles—to detect and notify police of gunfire. Over 12 months, our Police Department will test ShotSpotter in a three-square-mile area to evaluate its impact on gun violence.

A Message from Durham County: 2022 Durham Bond Referendum

Durham voters will be given the power to decide on a three-part General Obligation Bond during the November 2022 General Election period. Bonds for Durham Public Schools, Durham Technical Community College, and Museum of Life and Science totaling $550.2 million dollars will be seen on the upcoming ballot.

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Information in this newsletter is up-to-date at the time of publication and may be subject to change. Please use the provided links to find the latest updates and confirm event details.