TL;DR — 3 Things to Know This Week

• Durham County commissioners approved a $1.045B budget with a 2-cent property tax increase, adding $10.9M for Durham Public Schools while warning of a growing gap between revenue and needs.
• Durham's HEART program has cut crime reports by 60% in the areas it covers over four years, saving thousands of police hours, but still can't respond to overnight calls.
• Two affordable housing projects broke ground this week: 252 units in Hayti on a lot vacant since the demolition of Fayette Place, and 124 apartments a quarter-mile from Durham Tech's campus.

HEART Program Has Cut Crime Reports 60%

Four years in, Durham's alternative crisis-response unit is saving thousands of police hours, but a gap in overnight coverage remains.

• In the areas HEART covers, crime reports have dropped 60%, and the program is handling calls that previously fell to officers, freeing up significant police time.

• The program still can't cover overnight hours, which means a large share of crisis calls continue to default to police response after dark.

What to watch: Whether the city expands HEART's hours to fill the overnight gap is the next concrete decision point for the program's reach.

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252 Affordable Units Coming to Hayti After Nearly Two Decades of Vacancy

The Villages of Hayti broke ground on a Merrick Street lot that sat empty for almost 20 years following the demolition of Fayette Place.

• The project will deliver 252 affordable apartments to a historically significant Hayti neighborhood lot that has been vacant since Fayette Place was torn down.

• The same week, Durham Tech broke ground on 124 affordable apartments a quarter-mile from its campus, where half of students reported housing insecurity in a recent survey. That $35M project is designed to serve both students and neighbors.

Why it matters: Both projects address long-standing gaps: one restores housing to a lot tied to Durham's urban renewal history, the other targets a student population with documented need.

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County Commissioners Approve $1B Budget With a Tax Hike

Slowing commercial tax revenue forced Durham County to raise property taxes 2 cents and still left Durham Public Schools short of what it asked for.

• County Manager Hager warned commissioners to expect 'a growing gap between available resources and growing needs' in coming years. Property tax receipts grew less than $500,000 this year, far below typical multi-million dollar annual increases, while sales tax revenue grew only 4% over three years versus 5% in prior years.

• The 2-cent increase is projected to raise $17M, funding schools, pre-K expansion, and public safety. Total county support for DPS rises to $235M, or $5,929 per pupil, but DPS still won't receive everything it requested.

• A large property tax refund from completed commercial property appeals, which Tax Administrator KR Doyle said represents 'the bulk of all commercial adjustments,' made the revenue picture worse.

• The budget adds 10 new paramedic positions to staff a complete ambulance unit, part of 22 paramedic and EMT positions approved over the past two years.

What to watch: The county's own forecast anticipates widening shortfalls, meaning next year's budget negotiations with DPS and other agencies will start from a tighter baseline.

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Quick Hits

• North Carolina still hasn't passed a state budget since 2023, and Durham schools are absorbing the cost. Durham County, which depends heavily on state funding, is now covering expenses Raleigh used to pay.

• Durham City Council approved a $4.5M affordable housing plan that will fund five community partners to develop or preserve 270 units and provide housing stabilization services to 135 households.

• The Durham Rescue Mission faces a lawsuit from a former resident who says a Mission supervisor assaulted him for nearly a year and that shelter staff discouraged him from contacting police.

• The county's proposed 2-cent property tax hike is driven by slowing commercial tax revenue. DPS requested more than the $10.9M increase it received.

• Duke University named Karl Hanson as its Chief Real Estate Officer, giving him oversight of the university's full property portfolio as Duke faces scrutiny over its role in Durham's land and housing market.

• Little Barb's Bakery has left Durham Food Hall after three years as one of the city's most popular sweet shops. The bakery says it's close to signing a lease on its own brick-and-mortar space.

• Duke Street closes from Trinity Avenue to Monmouth Avenue in late May for the South Ellerbe Restoration Project. The closure runs through fall, with detours to Washington Street or Buchanan Boulevard.

• Good Moon Festival is returning in October after skipping 2025. The lineup includes Tyler Childers at DPAC, club shows across downtown, and a free afternoon concert.

• Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder graduated from NCCU on Saturday, three decades after leaving campus to pursue a music career.

Events

HOT 8 BRASS BAND
Thu, May 14 · Motorco Music Hall

An Evening with Lucinda Williams and her band
Fri, May 15 · Haw River Ballroom

Foodie Fare
Fri, May 15 · Durham Central Park

Aladdin
Sat, May 16 · Carolina Theatre

Iron & Wine with Improvement Movement
Sat, May 16 · Haw River Ballroom

21st Annual Strawberry Festival
Sun, May 17 · Durham

Punch Brothers
Sun, May 17 · Carolina Theatre

HAMILTON
Wed, May 20 · DPAC

Forest Bathing Walk
Thu, May 21 · Sarah P. Duke Gardens

WUNC Youth Reporting Institute Listening Party
Thu, May 21 · Motorco Music Hall

Real Estate

707 Watts St
4 bed, 5 bath, 5,208 sqft, $816/sqft
$4,250,000

2 Pine Top Pl
4 bed, 5 bath, 4,715 sqft, $371/sqft
$1,750,000

1206 Vickers Ave
6 bed, 3 bath, 3,547 sqft, $338/sqft
$1,198,000