WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Hundreds of residents of a downtown senior citizen public housing facility will be getting some needed peace of mind, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The money will help with renovations at Crystal Towers, which has had an uncertain future since 2018.

What You Need To Know

  • Crystal Towers is an affordable housing complex in downtown Winston-Salem

  • More than 200 residents were worried for years when the Crystal Towers were on the market to be sold

  • Carrie Aiken has lived in the Crystal Towers for a little over two years and served as president on the resident council

"Living here is pretty good. There’s a lot of diverse people from different backgrounds. Everyone has been nice for the most part,” said Carrie Aiken, a resident of Crystal Towers.

Winston-Salem is one of the few cities in America to receive the HUD grant.

Aiken loves her little apartment, which she has lived in for a little over two years.

“For the most part, it’s a community. We kind of take care of each other,” she said.

Aiken served as president of the resident council, where she organized events for those who live in Crystal Towers.

“I just help out where needed. I even worked security on the desk, and that was fun because you get to know all the residents,” she said.  

But Aiken, along with 200 of her neighbors, has been on an emotional roller coaster for the last three years.

“There’s 201 units in here, so where are you going to put all the people?” Aiken said.

The fate of this 52-year-old public housing facility has been up in the air since 2018, but change is coming.

The city of Winston-Salem is joining forces with the housing authority to give the complex a much-needed facelift. 

“I think it’s great. I think it’s a good thing they did and the city is backing them, so I think it’s wonderful and so we won’t have to be uprooted,” Aiken said.

That change is going to come at a price.

“It’s going to be expensive, but they’re getting it together, they’re working on it, which is a blessing,” Aiken said.

There is help to cover the price tag.

Winston-Salem is one of the few cities in America to receive a $30 million grant for what is called the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.

Aiken said these changes are a long time coming and the people who live here desperately need them.

“First, fix the elevators. That’s the main source of getting in and out of the building. For a lot of people they can’t take the steps because they’re some kind of handicap, you know, people in wheelchairs, people walking on walkers, so they can’t get up and down the steps," Aiken said.

“One night both elevators were broke down, so that was rough,” she added.

Aiken thinks the rest of the updates Crystal Towers needs are cosmetic.

“I think the biggest changes will be outside the apartments. The changes that need to be made inside the apartments are like painting,” Aiken said.

But she says any change feels better than uncertainty all of these residents have felt for the past few years. 

“It’s an awesome feeling to know somebody is willing to help, somebody listened to what the people wanted and they delivered,” Aiken said.

More than 2,000 people sent signatures to local officials that said “stop the sale, fix the building.” Their voices were heard, and that’s exactly what they’re getting. 

According to city officials, renovations are set to begin within the next few months, starting with the elevators.