Resident Consultations and Relocation
Heritage Park was originally constructed in the mid 1970’s, making the development almost 50 years old. Based on the conditions of the current site and the increasing costs of repairs needed, RHA has selected Heritage Park as a prime spot of redevelopment.
RHA began meeting with residents in 2019 to get resident feedback about the possibility of rebuilding Heritage Park. Since then, we have held numerous resident conversations and provided surveys to gather more feedback. The feedback from residents is that the current Heritage Park is at the end of its useful life and needs to be redeveloped to increase the overall quality and quantity of affordable housing.
The reconstruction process will include phased demolition of existing buildings. This means that Heritage Park residents will need to move into different units. Residents will be allowed to choose from three different options: move to another RHA managed public housing community, move into the section 8 program with a voucher, or stay on-site during construction and relocate to another portion of the property.
Yes, Heritage Park residents who are relocated due to development will receive money to help with moving. These amounts will be determined by the Uniform Relocation Act (URA) at the time of relocation. Current URA amounts can be found here:
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Prior to starting demolition and reconstruction, Heritage Park residents will be provided with a 90 Day Notice to Relocate. At that point, residents should begin to start the moving process, including packing. Do not begin packing until you receive this notice in writing from RHA.
Heritage Park residents who choose to relocate with a Section 8 voucher will initially be given 60 days to find an appropriate home. Extensions may be provided if a home is not found in that time. Case management will be provided to assist with finding a unit.
Heritage Park residents choosing to relocate to another public housing community will be asked to provide their top choices of preferred communities. RHA will make every effort to relocate residents to one of their top choice communities. We cannot guarantee which community will be selected for each Heritage Park resident as not all communities may have available units that match the families need (bedroom size, accessibility requirements, on-site requirements etc).
Heritage Park residents are notified multiple ways including via flyers, postings, emails, and electronic postings. In the near future, automated voice messages will be sent to the phone numbers on file for current Heritage Park residents. Heritage Park residents are encouraged to keep all contact information up-to-date with their Property Manager.
Community Layout and Amenities
Building designs are not far enough along to provide a bedroom breakdown at this time. RHA will consider our current Heritage Park resident families, waiting lists, and local area needs to determine the final bedroom counts.
A basketball court is being considered and staff is working to determine if a court would provide a community wide benefit.
RHA intends to provide space for both children and community activities. No final determinations have been made about which types of spaces will be in the final plan. Current considerations include a child care center, computer learning center, community center, and outdoor play areas.
Residents have expressed increasing concerns for safety/security measures at Heritage Park. We will have exterior LED lighting and security cameras installed at the redeveloped Heritage Park. We are considering controlled access to some of the buildings. Other security measures will be considered as well.
No determination has been made about designated resident or visitor parking.
Yes, the new Heritage Park will be provided with more energy efficient appliances and building standards.
RHA does not anticipate Heritage Park becoming a gated community. The City of Raleigh does not allow for gates to be installed on public streets.
A centralized laundry facility will be included in the Heritage Park redevelopment plans. This would include a designated space with washers and dryers provided for residents of Heritage Park. Machines will require payment for operation.
The proposed laundry facility will be for Heritage Park resident use and not open to the public.
Yes, washer/dryer hookups will be provided in the new Heritage Park units.
Construction and Redevelopment
Very early on a construction start date has not been determined. We anticipate the demolition and rebuild process will take at least a year if not longer. The complete redevelopment process may take several years for pending phasing and funding awards. RHA will provide updates as we proceed through this process.
At this point, we envision Heritage Park blending into the surrounding community to give a unified feeling.
The owner of the redeveloped Heritage Park will be determined based on the funding sources used. It will either be RHA or one of its managed affiliates. Should a managed affiliate be an owning partner, RHA will take steps to ensure that the community remains affordable to our current residents.
A variety of funding sources are being considered including HUD funding through both public housing and section 8, as well as other funds like tax credits. We are exploring multiple options to provide the best community possible while staying affordable.
Phasing means that the construction process will done in stages in different sections of the property. This will be done to increase the amount of time that Heritage Park can be occupied.
Phasing will be determined by several things including the layout of the property, funding sources, and utility meters.
Returning Residents
Yes, Heritage Park will continue to be an affordable housing community in the future. RHA will ensure that at least 122 units will be provided for individuals/families whose household income is 0-30% of the area median income level.
Heritage Park is expected to have its own waiting list and applicant pool. The guidelines for new residents will largely be dictated by applicant screening criteria for the program at the point in time when the rebuilt property is ready to be leased. Residents returning to Heritage Park who were relocated due to construction will need to be in good resident standing, still income qualify, not have recent violent or drug related criminal convictions, and not be on any sex offender registry.
RHA will provide Heritage Park residents with a list of the criteria that will be needed for them to return to Heritage Park and receive the returning resident preference. This will be provided prior to any Heritage Park resident relocating to ensure that all criteria is provided well in advance of returning to the new Heritage Park.
Different funding platforms have different resident criteria. Heritage Park residents interested in returning will be required to apply and be added to the waiting list. Services will be provided to aid Heritage Park residents in the application process to return.
RHA is considering who is eligible to receive the returning Heritage Park resident preference.
Case management will be provided to assist Heritage Park residents wishing to return. We are in the process of determining the best way to identify and coordinate services for Heritage Park residents.
Miscellaneous
Heritage Park residents will continue to receive flyers, letters, and emails about upcoming news and the redevelopment process. RHA is also setting up a Heritage Park tab on the RHA website, www.rhaonline.com.
Questions, comments, and concerns can be emailed to heritageparkinfo@rhaonline.com. Written comments can be sent to Raleigh Housing Authority at 900 Haynes Street, Raleigh, NC 27604.
