Chavis Heights Granted 'Hope' In Form Of $23M Makeover

The plans could change the community in much the same way Halifax Court was revitalized when it became Capitol Park.

"What you have here that makes this different from every other public housing community in Raleigh is the fact that it's a working community. If you live here you are either elderly, disabled or working," said Steve Beam, Raleigh Housing Authority executive director.

Chavis Heights is the latest recipient of a $23 million

Hope VI

grant.

Beam watched the transformation from when Capitol Park used to be Halifax Court.

"We had 1,500 police calls in Halifax Court the year before we demolished it. And with 300 units, that's an average of five calls, per unit, per year," he said.

The more than $20 million federal Hope VI grant was used to transform the crumbling public housing community.

"When we started out, we were told we had four years and we took that seriously. We finished in three years, seven months," Beam said. "So right now, we're standing on the property that has the fastest record for completion."

Demolition is set to begin in September. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2008.