In Durham, just 54 percent of residents own homes, the lowest percentage of any major city in the state, according to the 2000 Census. One of the goals of the Neighborhood Partnership has been to encourage organizations to expand affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods.

It's working. In Walltown, Habitat for Humanity, inspired by Self-Help's partnership project to renovate dozens of houses, built 13 others. Duke donated three vacant duplexes in the Crest Street neighborhood to Habitat, along with $10,000 for renovation into single-family residences. Members of the Duke community take up hammers every Saturday to help create affordable homes for Durham families. The campus has its own Habitat chapter that leads fund-raising and construction for some homes.

Duke is also working to assist the longtime efforts of the Durham Community Land Trustees, a nonprofit in SouthWest Central Durham dedicated to increasing the stock of affordable housing. And the Burch Avenue Affordable Housing Project made nine new or renovated homes on Duke property available to qualified Duke employees and provided mortgage assistance.

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