Durham woman lives full circle moment with new, public housing: 'It's been awesome'

EJP partners with the Durham Housing Authority (DHA) to implement the Durham Downtown and Neighborhood Plan (DDNP), a $40 million Choice Neighborhoods initiative to revitalize downtown Durham and expand affordable housing. As part of this effort, EJP supports DHA in providing relocation assistance and comprehensive supportive services to former residents, helping them successfully transition into new homes like the Vanguard Apartments.

By Cindy Bae

September 5, 2025

Bianca Rivera used to live at Liberty Street Apartments in Downtown Durham before she moved to Oxford Manor to live temporarily, as the city made way for new, affordable public housing where she lives.

Snapshot from the News 11 Report of the old Liberty Street Apartments site

"It's a big transformation," Rivera said. "You would always see fighting or the police, and with all that stuff going on, kids can't play outside and feel safe."

Rivera is now a returning resident at the newly built Vanguard Apartments, where crews continue to build a new, mixed-income community at the old 519 East Main and Liberty Street Apartments site.

Snapshot from News 11 Report of Bianca Rivera speaking to reporter in her new home

"We're excited that we finally have the Vanguard Apartments out of the ground," Durham Housing Authority Interim CEO Anthony Snell said.

For Snell, there's more work to be done to address affordable housing in Durham, but he said they're making "great strides" in their overall mission to provide better quality affordable housing.

"We'll have over 500 units on this particular site," Snell said. "Then you look at our other sites, which we're going to initiate development at Forest Hill Heights ... once it's fully developed, it'll have over 900 units."

Snell anticipates construction in downtown Durham to be completed in the next five years.

Snapshot from News 11 Report of the new Vanguard Apartments

A grand opening of the Vanguard Apartments and a groundbreaking ceremony for the Dillard Street Apartments at the same site is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Rivera said she hopes to see safer communities as the city grows.

"I feel like this is giving me a chance; by me moving here is giving me a chance to grow and want to see myself bigger and better," Rivera said.

See original article here: https://abc11.com/post/durham