Welcome to King Road Neighborhood Union

Proactive Neighborhood Union in Valley Alabama

"Sometimes, what seems like progress is just the calm before the storm."

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to talk about something important that’s happening in our community. You may have heard that there is a new senior housing project being built near our street called King’s Way Senior Housing. The developers, along with the City of Valley, are planning to build homes for seniors on the corner of King Road and 55th Street.

While new housing can seem like a good thing, I’m concerned that this project might be just the beginning of a larger plan to change our neighborhood — and not in a way that benefits all of us. I believe that residents like us could be moved out as part of a bigger project, even if that’s not what we’ve been told. Let me explain why.

Examples of What Can Happen

In other cities, similar projects have started with building senior housing, just like here in Valley. But over time, more and more changes happen, and eventually, long-time residents are forced out, even if it wasn’t part of the original plan.

For example:

  • In Birmingham, Alabama, the Southtown Court public housing was demolished to make way for new housing. At first, the plan seemed like it would help seniors, but many people who lived there were not able to come back to the new homes. Some people even filed a lawsuit because they were worried about being displaced and losing their homes. (birminghamtimes.com)

  • In Huntsville, Alabama, they are doing something called the Mill Creek Redevelopment. They are tearing down old public housing and replacing it with new homes, but many residents are worried they won’t have a chance to stay. Some of the new homes are for seniors, but they are also changing things for working families and others who have lived in the area for a long time. (waff.com)

These examples show that when senior housing is built first, it can sometimes lead to other changes that push out longtime residents. The new homes may look nice, but if we’re not careful, we could lose our community and our homes.

Next Steps: Forming a King Road Neighborhood Union

To make sure we protect our neighborhood, I’m starting something called the King Road Neighborhood Union. The goal of this union is to make sure that everyone in our neighborhood is treated fairly during any changes that come. We need to be aware of what’s happening, stand together, and make sure that our voices are heard.

Here’s how you can get involved:

  1. Join the King Road Neighborhood Union – Together, we can make sure that we are all included in the decisions about our homes and neighborhood.

  2. Attend the next City Council meeting – I’ll keep everyone updated about when these meetings are happening. We need to let the city know what we think and make sure our community’s needs are met.

  3. Share your concerns – If you’ve been told something or have concerns about the redevelopment, please let me know. We want to gather as many thoughts and ideas as possible to protect everyone in the neighborhood.

  4. Keep in touch – I’ll be organizing a neighborhood meeting soon so we can all talk and plan together. Stay tuned for more details.

By forming a strong neighborhood union, we can make sure we all have a safe and affordable place to live, and we can protect our homes, families, and community.

Thank you for reading this letter, and we look forward to working with you all!

Get Educated - King Road Valley is Next in line

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 1. Shiloh Community (Elba / Coffee County, AL) — Flooding & Legal Action

Residents of Shiloh, a historically Black rural community, have been fighting for years to address repeated flooding caused by highway stormwater runoff that damaged homes and property. They filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), alleging discriminatory infrastructure impacts that harm the Black community and degrade their property. Alabama Reflector

Local advocates argue the flooding has effectively made land unlivable and depressed property values, creating conditions similar to displacement even without formal redevelopment. Alabama Reflector

This case shows how state infrastructure decisions can have destructive effects on Black communities — a form of displacement pressure even without razing homes for new development.

🏚️ 2. Oaklawn Public Housing Redevelopment — Mobile, AL (2025)

A long‑standing public housing complex called Oaklawn Homes in Mobile has drawn complaints from residents about poor conditions. The Mobile City Council approved land for a new redevelopment project called Taylor Landing, intended to build about 70 new homes, including units for seniors, with future phases affecting additional homes. https://www.fox10tv.com

While officials say Oaklawn residents would get first choice at the new homes, this type of public‑housing redevelopment often comes with concerns about displacement, relocation, and loss of long‑term community ties. https://www.fox10tv.com

This is very recent (2025) and directly tied to redevelopment of a primarily low‑income and predominantly Black area.

🏘️ 3. Baldwin County Zoning Efforts — Black Property Owners (2022)

In Baldwin County (southwestern AL), Black property owners raised concerns about county zoning and development standards that they said disenfranchise Black property owners and reduce their ability to build, sell, or use their land — a subtle form of regulatory displacement pressure. Southern Poverty Law Center

Although not directly a large redevelopment project, this shows ongoing structural pressures where zoning rules themselves can act as barriers for Black landowners and contribute to gradual loss of control over property.

🏙️ 4. Africatown (Mobile, AL) — Development vs. Historic Community

The historic Black community of Africatown in Mobile has been under long‑term development pressure, including proposals for new infrastructure like toll bridges and industrial projects. Many residents and advocates use the term “infrastructure apartheid” to describe how development decisions disproportionately impact this Black community. Architectural League

While not a direct demolition case, Africatown is an example where economic and infrastructure development threatens community continuity without necessarily providing protections for residents’ homes and land.

🧱 5. Urban Renewal Legacy with Lasting Effects

Although it occurred decades ago, urban renewal projects in Alabama continue to ripple through Black communities today:

  • Down the Bay (Mobile) — Massive highway and urban renewal projects between the 1960s–1970s relocated more than 2,500 households and erased historic Black neighborhoods. University of South Alabama

Even though this is older than your timeline, it contributes to the pattern that community destruction around redevelopment has a long history in Alabama.

Let's be specific about "they" when we say they are taking our generational homes - perhaps without fair compensation. 

HERE ARE THE PARTNERS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT TODAY......

  1. The City of Valley

  2. Chambers County Development Authority

  3. The Bennett Group (real estate developer)

  4. Holland + Seals Inc. (general contractors)