What: council reviewed the "state of DHA" with the Durham Housing Authority's interim CEO. DHA is a HUD-designated troubled public housing authority under a 2022 recovery agreement with two HUD cure monitors; HUD chose to allow more time rather than escalate.
DHA's case: federal operating and capital funds are well below need (a $169 billion national repair backlog; about $60 million of capital need over five years against $2 to $3.5 million a year). It has moved from 1,887 to 894 public housing units through Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversions, aims to leave 579, and says the city's bond leveraged nearly $800 million in development.
Concerns raised: about 3,000 open work orders (about 2,000 at Cornwallis, which has had no manager since early this year), emergency repairs averaging about 17 days by one report, 259 open code violations, a housing quality score of zero in reports from 2022 to 2025, inaccurate tenant ledgers and files (Eviction Diversion Program staff cited about $24,000 in improper charges), and seniors without heat.
Voucher program: back to standard performer after a corrective action plan; waiting lists of 26,000 (vouchers) and 2,146 (public housing); the voucher list has not opened since 2018.
Where it stands: discussion only, no vote. Council members asked DHA to share records with all members; several urged patience given federal underfunding, and one suggested a new affordable housing bond to fund McDougald Terrace redevelopment. A city housing plan is expected later this fall.
Log
2026-10-22 - City Council Work Session - presentation and about two hours of questions from Councilmember Rist (a DHA board member), Councilmember Burris, Councilmember Cook and others; public comment from the Eviction Diversion Program and residents (from auto-captions).