Durham Closes Oakwood Park After Encampment Residents Accept Housing
Durham has closed Oakwood Park after everyone living in the park’s encampment accepted temporary housing and support services, according to city officials.
The city says outreach teams worked with 18 people staying at the park, connecting them with interim housing, transportation and case managers who will help them move toward permanent housing. Officials say everyone accepted the offer and left the park voluntarily.
With the encampment now cleared, Oakwood Park closed on Monday so crews can assess the property, clean up the area and make any needed repairs before reopening it to the public. Temporary fencing will stay up while that work is underway.
City leaders say the effort is part of a broader strategy to reduce homelessness by connecting people with housing instead of leaving them in encampments. They also pointed to the success of a recent Housing Sprint program, where nearly all participants were matched with housing, and say the former Oakwood Park residents will receive similar support in the next round later this summer.
Durham recently approved $4 million to help carry out its Strategic Framework to End Homelessness, which aims to make homelessness rare and short-lived. Officials acknowledge that homelessness and public encampments are complicated issues, but say they’re working to balance compassion for people in need with public health, safety and access to city parks.
The city hasn’t announced when Oakwood Park will reopen, saying that timeline will depend on the results of the site’s assessment and restoration work.
