By Kylie Marsh
Kylie.marsh@triangletribune.com
DURHAM – What will become of the $10 million reserved for investment into historic Hayti?
Although the Hayti Promise Community Development Corporation was awarded the amount in American Rescue Plan Act funding almost three years ago, the needle has not moved, and community members are left wondering where the money is.
Durham residents concerned about possible gentrification, a lack of transparency and government overreach into nonprofit organizations, spoke at the Durham City Council meeting last week to demand answers.
Two items on the Jan. 20 agenda dealt with the Hayti Promise CDC: first, to remove the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation as a fiscal agent for the CDC; and second was a change in funding, up from $3.25 mil to $6.76 million, to the CDC.
Joshua Gunn, of the city’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, said the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation requested in October to be removed. The role of a fiscal agent was assigned because Hayti Promise CDC was a relatively “new” organization as a nonprofit, which had not established itself as financially reliable.
Angel Iset-Dozier said before the council that her intellectual work was done to lay the roadmap for the Hayti Reborn project, which was established in 2023. She also said the CDC was fraudulently formed, and this is why St. Joseph’s asked to be removed as fiscal agent.
Iset-Dozier called the agenda items a “shell game.” She asked for a halt on decision-making and an independent review of the handling of funds.
During discussion, council members asked for clarification about the city’s relationship in the contract between the CDC and St. Joseph’s. Tim Flora, city director of finance, said the installation of the Historic Foundation was “not a requirement,” but the result of the city’s “risk assessment” as a requirement for the Department of the Treasury since the contract dealt with ARPA funds.
Hayti was proudly named after the independent nation of Haiti, which was established following the first successful slave rebellion of the colonial period. The name paralleled the historic heyday of Hayti, which was a self-sufficient Black community. Today, residents are still waiting for answers regarding when the community will receive the prosperity that other parts of the Bull City have received.
Jen Wickman, speaking as her nickname “Jen Trifier” – a play on the word “gentrifier” – spoke in satirical support of the vote, which she characterized as “moving the money around” with acronyms to obscure the actual motions from the citizens, and, most importantly, the residents of the Fayetteville Street Corridor.
Her comments implied the fear among residents that the corridor will be used for market-rate housing with a suspicion that there will be absolutely no allotments for affordable units – leading to further displacement of the residents.
Anita Scott-Neville is director of Hayti Reborn. She asked the council to “make it make sense,” and asked that there be clarity on how the community can benefit from the contract.
CJ Broderick Jr., Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, spoke on behalf of the approximate 300 members of the organization, asking the council to vote “No” on the contract amendments until further clarity is given to the public.
What really raised the temperature was commentary from council member Carl Rist. “I am sick and tired of the innuendo,” Rist said.
He said the item on the agenda was about the contract and not about impact analysis of the CDC. He also said that a full list of expenditures from the CDC was previously provided.
“If you’re tired, imagine how the people on the corridor feel. If you’re tired, they’re tired,” council member Shanetta Burris said. While she did receive a list of expenditures, Burris said there was no information about dates. “We just want context as to how these funds are being utilized and an actual plan to move forward. That’s it,” she said.
No vote was taken, and the issue was referred back to staff to answer questions so council members could get a better understanding of what the implications of a contract amendment would be.
