Housing

SW Central Durham Quality of Life Project - Community Building through Home Ownership

balau — Thu, 05 May 2016 21:48:57 +0000

SW Central Durham Quality of Life Project - Community Building through Home Ownership balau Thu, 05/05/2016 - 17:48

"It takes a village to build a village and sometimes it takes a village to build an individual house" [Philip Azar]

To many in the Durham community, the Quality of Life Project and their efforts to create affordable housing options has been a source of hope and inspiration. Philip Azar has worked closely with the Quality of LIfe Project through the Durham Habitat for Humanity. He spoke about the power and importance of the organization on the steps of the Pauli Murray Place house, the first place that the QOL and partners like Habitat came together to begin work in the community.

"They are the conscience, the elders, they don't have assets beyond their good will and commitment to the community, so somebody might say the Quality of Life hasn't built a house in the West End or Lyon Park or SW Central Durham, whatever term ends up being used. That may technically be true but the reality is that they've probably facilitated the development of approximately 100 single family or town homes for home ownership that are affordable."

Besides making sure to provide affordable housing, the Quality of Life Project also monitors what other types of homes will be built in the community. "And it also provides a form of mediation between the developers, the community and also the City of Durham because just as a developer could be paving the road to hell with good intentions, same could be true for a government entity. So the Quality of Life performs a very important role of mediating, of providing a conscience and a community control around what's going on."

Through these two roles, Azar pointed out exactly what makes the Quality of Life Project and how it orchestrates its partnerships so valuable. Its strives to help break down the classism inate in the way home ownership is designed in the United States. "And the mortgage interest deductions that middle class and upper class receive is a huge subsidy that dwarfs the amount of subsidy that is availalble for affordable housing be it for home ownership or for rent. And I think most people when they look at it realize that the benefits of home ownership should not be restricted to the wealthy."

Through this unique approach and collaborative effort, the Quality of Life Project seeks to create a healthier, happier community. "We believe, at least I think most Americans, most people believe that when you are invested in a house, a place, a community, you are inspired to be a better person, a better member of the community, a better citizen."

Location Coordinates

POINT (-78.919877 35.989499)

Tags:

Housing

Community Organizing

West End Neighborhood

1313 Halley Street - Community, Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park (Site of most community Meetings)

Virginia Thomas

Public Housing Tenants' Rights – From Durham to the Supreme Court 1969

balau — Thu, 05 May 2016 20:23:16 +0000

Public Housing Tenants' Rights – From Durham to the Supreme Court 1969 balau Thu, 05/05/2016 - 16:23

Lawyer and civil rights activists Floyd McKissick proclaimed, “Tenants cannot be evicted without due process,” when he heard that community organizer Joyce Thorpe had been thrown out of her public housing unit for working to empower low-income black women. As a citizen, she is entitled to fair treatment in the judicial system, and public housing agencies must provide explicit reasons for evicting tenants.

Thorpe lived in McDougald Terrace, a federally assisted housing project controlled by the Housing Authority of the City of Durham, North Carolina. After her marriage fell apart, it was growing concern for her own children that facilitated her efforts in community organizing. To help herself and 20 of her neighbors, she founded and became president of the McDougald Terrace Mother’s Club without the permission of the Housing Authority because they refused to discuss the issue. The Mother’s Club was an opportunity to provide children with day care so that mother’s could seek employment. Following her request for a meeting space for the club, the Housing Authority informed her that her lease would be cancelled without explanation.

Howard Fuller, a leader of Operation Breakthrough, a program supported by Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty, organized a picket line of about sixty North Carolina College students that marched outside of the Housing Authority to protest Thorpe’s eviction. In addition, he reached out to one of his mentors in Durham, Floyd McKissick, a lawyer and civil rights leader, to represent Thorpe. He willingly accepted the job.

Initially, the court did not rule in her favor but after appealing her decision the case eventually reached the Supreme Court. The case, Joyce C. Thorpe, Petitioner, v. Housing Authority of the City of Durham (1969) was a victory for Thorpe and the Mother’s Club.

Floyd McKissick insisted that cause must be shown when evicting tenants occupying public housing. Ms. Thorpe’s case was ultimately the foundation of landmark protection of due process for tenants of public housing and encouraged many women to stand up for their rights despite their economic status.

Date

Wed, 10/23/1968 - 12:00

Mon, 01/13/1969 - 12:00

Location Coordinates

POINT (-78.89038 35.974997)

Tags:

Civil Rights

Housing

Litigation

1101 E. Lawson Street

Taylor Nortmann

Fight for Decent Housing - 1966 Edgemont Community Protest

balau — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 19:20:03 +0000

Fight for Decent Housing - 1966 Edgemont Community Protest balau Tue, 04/19/2016 - 15:20

“Your Neighbor is a Slumlord.”
“High Rent for Firetraps.”
“My Children Sleep with Rats.”

Protesters with painted signs bearing these word marched outside both Abe Greenberg’s office and home during the summer of 1966 in response to his unwarranted hikes in rent and disregard for the needs of his tenants by not meeting Durham’s housing codes. Most of the demonstrators were low-income black women, who, out of frustration, even tried to appeal to Mrs. Greenberg’s sympathy by describing the inadequate living situations of their children.

Greenberg had ignored housing codes and slipped past repercussions for failing inspections, and complaints to City Council were not enough to make a difference. This led to a groundswell of opposition within the Edgemont community, a “War on Poverty” backed by Howard Fuller and Operation Breakthrough. Operation Breakthrough received funds from the North Carolina Fund, which had ties to both the federal government and private businesses. Federal dollars had suddenly become very political. The poor began to organize and protest. Those who had previously felt marginalized had become empowered and were willing to fight for equal opportunity housing.

The construction of East West Expressway in the ‘60s destroyed many houses in the center of the African American neighborhoods of Hayti and Southside, leaving tenants in a very vulnerable position. It gave Greenberg and other landlords the ability to take advantage of many low-income families who were in desperate need of new homes.

Picketing at Greenberg’s private residence created a surge of contention and Operation Breakthrough’s board of directors became polarized. However, action needed to be taken in order to improve living standards and adherence to housing codes in a city where nearly a third of the population was living below the poverty line and in deplorable conditions.

Even though Greenberg’s houses never fully met housing code requirements, other landlords in the area did make repairs for their tenants, and there was an improvement in the enforcement of the housing code. The Edgemont community’s protest was successful bringing improvements to rental housing conditions and helping to redefine the role of Operation Breakthrough in Durham.

For more information: http://www.torightthesewrongs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Rankin-Sarah-The-Power-of-Money.pdf

Date

Sat, 07/02/1966 - 12:00

Location Coordinates

POINT (-78.92348 35.97277)

Tags:

Civil Rights

Housing

Protest

2601 Stuart Drive, Durham, NC 27707

Kaley Deal