Methodology
Chapter Two: GeographyTrinity Court and Pritchard Park are a set of public housing developments located just over a mile from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (est. 1793). Surrounded by homes and apartments rented mostly by university students, Trinity Court and Pritchard Park are two of a total of 13 public housing developments in Chapel Hill. Often overshadowed by the university and professional community of Chapel Hill, Trinity Court and Pritchard Park offer an alternative look at life in a prosperous university town.
Source: Allen, Bridges, Gordon, Miller, & Vincus (1993)
Warmly nicknamed the "Southern Part of Heaven," Chapel Hill is a dynamic town located in Orange County, North Carolina with an abundance of resources and skills (Map 1). Much of the attention bestowed on Chapel Hill is a result of two factors. The first of these factors is the centralization of Chapel Hill around the University of North Carolina which is annually praised for its academic and athletic talents. The second factor is the relationship that Chapel Hill has built with the larger "Triangle" area, which includes Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina. As a part of the "Triangle," Chapel Hill was included in a recent accolade as the "#1 Best Place to Live In America" (Smith, & Nance-Nash, 1994). Chapel Hill has also become a haven for science-oriented professionals for its close proximity to other institutes of higher education, as well as Research Triangle Park (RTP). Because of the influx of students and professionals, Chapel Hill is a welcoming and comfortable community for most of its residents.
In contrast to the classification of the university and Chapel Hill as a whole, Trinity Court and Pritchard Park possess less favorable reputations. According to service providers and residents, Trinity Court and Pritchard Park have often been thought of as the two worst public housing units in the area due to previously high reports of drug activity. The poor reputation of these two communities is discussed in Chapter Eight: Sense of Community and Reputation. Contrary to the student and professional populations that migrate to the Chapel Hill area, native residents of Chapel Hill often rely on general service sector employment by the university or surrounding businesses. Because much of the economy is driven by RTP and by students, affordable housing for natives of Chapel Hill is a concern.
To address the need for affordable housing, Pritchard Park, constructed in August of 1972, was built as a fourth addition to the number of public housing developments in Orange County. Trinity Court followed in January of 1975 to satisfy the still growing demand for public housing in Chapel Hill. Trinity Court includes 40 apartment units composed of two to three bedrooms per unit. Pritchard Park houses larger families with 15 units of three to four bedrooms per unit. Between the two communities, there are a total of 55 units and 147 bedrooms.
Residents of Trinity Court and Pritchard Park are placed in public housing communities through the Chapel Hill Department of Housing. This placement process is based on financial need, family size, and often involves a waiting period. Each family has the opportunity to turn down two offered housing assignments before that family is placed at the bottom of the waiting list. Many of the residents, based on age or other social issues, are rather transient, spending just a few years living in Trinity Court or Pritchard Park before moving on to another housing assignment or out of public housing.
In an attempt to address some of the main issues faced by residents of public housing, including employment, child issues, and access to community resources, Chapel Hill Training-Outreach supports five Family Resource Centers (FRCs). The purpose of the FRCs is to provide a "one stop, centralized source for family services which may be provided through information, referral, on-site, or home-based strategies" (North Carolina Division of Family Development, 1997). Established in 1995, the Trinity Court and Pritchard Park Family Resource Center supports family enrichment programs, after-school programs, parent support groups, and special community events. A complete discussion of the FRC serving Trinity Court and Pritchard Park is found in Chapter Nine: The Family Resource Center.
Because of the presence of the University of North Carolina and Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill has experienced rapid growth. Built in the mid-1970s, Trinity Court and Pritchard Park were established in order to provide affordable housing to residents of Orange County. In the past 20 years, these communities have acquired the reputation of being the least desirable housing communities in Chapel Hill. Chapter Four: Community Profile will provide an analysis of the specific demographic differences that make Trinity Court and Pritchard Park unique communities compared to the rest of Chapel Hill.
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