Families from the Chatham Estates mobile home park moved from private grief to public power. After receiving eviction notices two days after Christmas, the 144 families—comprising roughly 700 residents—faced a June 30 deadline to vacate the 37-acre property to make way for a luxury development by Toll Brothers and Kennedy Wilson. For these working-class Latino, African and middle eastern households, the displacement is not just a change of address but a potential slide into homelessness, as many of their homes are too aged to be legally relocated and the cost of moving newer units exceeds $15,000.

In response, the Chatham Estates Neighborhood Association (CENA), supported by the North Carolina Congress of Latino Organizations, organized a powerful public action on March 21. Approximately 40 families gathered within the neighborhood and four elected leaders of the Town of Cary to share testimonies and issue a clear set of demands to the multi-billion-dollar developers. The neighborhood assembly called for a $2 million relocation investment from Toll Brothers to mitigate the "disaster" of displacement and demanded that a portion of the new high-end units be legally designated as affordable housing. To bridge the immediate financial gap, CENA also launched a Community Solidarity Fund, inviting the broader Cary community to contribute direct aid to their neighbors. The fund has grown at least 10 times after the public action. https://givebutter.com/ChathamEstates

The path forward focuses on forcing the developers to the negotiating table, as Toll Brothers has yet to meet face-to-face with the resident leadership. While the Neighborhood Association won $800,000 in partnership with One Wake for relocation assistance from the Town of Cary, organizers and local officials acknowledge this is insufficient to meet the total need. The campaign's next phase involves escalating pressure on the developers to recognize their moral obligation to the community. By using their power, CENA is demonstrating that even in the face of imminent eviction, organized people can challenge the priorities of organized money.

Press Coverage

Chatham Estates Residents Seek Help for 140 Families Facing Displacement

Chatham Estates residents raise their voices ahead of imminent eviction in Cary