Durham, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Pedestrian Safety

Description: Bike Durham addressed a longstanding safety challenge on a downtown corridor where older adults and other residents faced fast traffic and limited protection while walking or biking. The Move-A-Bull City Open Streets event closed the route to cars and showed people what safer design looks like, including protected intersections and shorter crossings. Seven themed zones offered wellness activities, demonstrations and places to safely try new ways of moving through the city. The event prompted stronger support for traffic calming and protected lanes and helped residents imagine permanent improvements. Many left wanting more frequent Open Streets days, showing how powerful the experience felt.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Durham, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: Like many places, Durham is experiencing an affordable housing crisis, with many longtime residents displaced from their neighborhoods. To help residents remain in their homes, Durham Habitat for Humanity expanded its Repairs Program services for low-income, older and disabled residents. The organization purchased a second-hand work truck, which helps work crews perform repairs and home maintenance tasks. Since the purchased, Habitat's teams improved homes in a year, representing a 50 percent increase from the year before. The improvements address unsafe living conditions and make homes more accessible for residents of all ages and abilities. Organizers say providing cost-effective repairs preserves affordable housing and curbs gentrification.