St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation asked to be removed in October, requesting to terminate its agreement with Hayti Promise CDC. Durham City Council made it official March 16, voting 5-2 to transfer control of a $6.7 million ARPA grant to the CDC directly. Council Members Burris and Cook voted against.
- St. Joseph’s has administered the Hayti Heritage Center since the early 1990s. The amendment removes the organization as fiscal agent and changes the grant’s funding source.
- Hayti Promise CDC was established in 2023 to receive and administer the city’s long-term investment in the Hayti Heritage District.
- The $6,755,000 in ARPA Revenue Recovery funds will support Fayetteville Street Corridor neighborhood stabilization. The CDC has not yet presented a disbursement plan.
- A resident questioned what happened to $4 million of the original $10 million ARPA allocation and asked the city manager for a formal audit of Hayti Promise CDC.
“The Hayti community survived one broken promise,” Durham resident Angel Iset Dozier said before the vote. “This council will be on record for how it responds to this one.”
Other items from the meeting:
- Council approved up to $136 million in limited obligation bonds for city facility improvements, financing construction without waiting on annual budget cycles.
- Council extended its Golden Belt office lease for five years at $2.2 million, with an option for an additional five years at $2.8 million.
- Council opened its first public hearing on the FY 2026-27 budget and six-year Capital Improvement Plan. No vote was taken.
Budget hearings continue through spring. The CDC has no confirmed date to return with a disbursement plan.