Durham Housing Authority gets resident feedback on McDougald Terrace future

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Just shy of formally committing to a new development plan for McDougald Terrace, officials with the Durham Housing Authority met with residents at Burton Elementary School on Monday evening.

The purpose of the meeting was to update McDougald residents on DHA's current idea of what the future of the housing project will look like.

"This is as far as we've gotten," one resident told ABC11.

DHA officials presented a couple of housing options to residents in attendance.

One option included lower-density housing with 400-500 housing units, to be made up of primarily duplexes and townhomes. Another option offered more apartments but featured 500-600 housing units.

Residents asked a series of questions during the meeting with respect to sidewalks, mixed-use construction, and addressing the issue of violence; by suggesting DHA build more parks and offer extracurricular alternatives for children to keep them occupied.

"We want to hear from you," said a DHA official in the meeting. "We encourage you to share with us what you want to see in your neighborhood."

Logistically speaking, DHA plans to move forward with a "build first" strategy. The goal is to demolish the Lincoln Apartments at the intersection of Truman and Lakeland Streets, rebuild the first set of new housing and move in the first phase of current McDougald residents into Lincoln Apartments. When those residents completely move out of McDougald, the building where they moved from will be torn down and rebuilt, with the next set of residents to move into.

"I don't like false hopes, I like progress," said Anthony McLendon. "So as long as I can see progress and not the false hopes, I think we'll be all right."

DHA staff said plans introduced at Monday evening's meetings will be compiled and sent to the Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.; as requested in February. If approved, DHA will then seek out a developer for the project.

"We're at least a year to a year and a half out before any construction," said one DHA staffer.

No word yet on how much the new construction will cost.