Shovels finally hit the dirt in Bragtown on Thursday, as Durham leaders kicked off construction on Sandy Ridge Station and Sandy Ridge Villas, a two-phase project they are betting will put a real dent in the city’s housing crunch.
The roughly $64 million development will bring 198 affordable apartments to Old Oxford Road, all reserved for households earning at or below 70% of the area median income. Developers say the new buildings will replace aging units on the site, with dozens of current public housing residents slated to move into the community once it opens. Officials expect the first residents to arrive in Summer 2027.
According to ABC11, the combined Sandy Ridge project is split into a 132-unit family complex and a 66-unit senior building, and city and housing leaders gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking on June 11. Mayor Leo Williams called the development a direct response to “one of Durham's most urgent needs” and reminded the crowd that “it's 198 families that will have a roof over their heads.” Durham Housing Authority official Eric Swan framed Sandy Ridge as one piece of a broader push to expand housing options across the city.
In public documents, the Durham Housing Authority describes Sandy Ridge Station and Sandy Ridge Villas as a 132-unit family project and a 66-unit senior project located along Old Oxford Road. Site files from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency show both phases applied for four-percent tax-credit and bond financing as part of the approval process.
How The Project Is Being Funded
City Council records and financing filings show that council members signed off last year on multifamily housing revenue bonds that will help pay for construction, up to $22 million for Sandy Ridge Station and up to $11 million for Sandy Ridge Villas. City “Forever Home” presentations and budget documents outline the rest of the financial stack, including gap funding, federal American Rescue Plan Act allocations and private lender commitments, all combined to cover the roughly $64 million development cost.
Why Bragtown Matters
Bragtown is a long-standing, predominantly Black neighborhood that has been bracing for change and, in many cases, pushing back on it. Residents and local organizers pressed for deeper affordability on this site instead of watching it flip to higher-end redevelopment and displacement.
Reporting from IndyWeek traces Bragtown’s history and the community advocacy that helped shape the income mix and priorities for Sandy Ridge. That organizing helped ensure the project was pitched as housing that current residents could realistically afford, not just another round of “revitalization” that prices people out.
Timeline And What Residents Can Expect
ABC11 reports that about 51 families from nearby Oxford Manor are expected to relocate into Sandy Ridge once units are ready. Developers say site clearing is done and that they plan to welcome residents in Summer 2027. A developer post on LinkedIn strikes a similar note, saying the team “can't wait to welcome our first residents in Summer 2027.”
Recent Durham Housing Authority board agendas show DHA working through the back-end mechanics that make that relocation possible. The agency is pursuing Rental Assistance Demonstration transfers and project-based voucher applications tied to Oxford Manor and nearby Bragtown properties. Those administrative steps are meant to preserve tenant subsidies during demolition, construction and eventual move-ins, and they will ultimately determine how assistance and relocations are handled as the Sandy Ridge buildout moves ahead.
