REIMAGINING OUR FUTURE
SMITHFIELD – COLLEGE HILLS – GRAYMONT
Alabama’s First Choice Neighborhood!
Birmingham’s $50 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant supports the transformation of Smithfield, College Hills and Graymont. The plan includes approximately 920 homes, with 456 replacement homes for Smithfield Court public housing, alongside resident services and neighborhood improvements. Updated October 2026.
WHAT IS THE SMITHFIELD – COLLEGE HILLS – GRAYMONT INITIATIVE?
– A CHOICE COMMUNITY
HONORING THE PAST, ENVISIONING THE FUTURE
The Smithfield-College Hills-Graymont Choice Neighborhood initiative is a signature place-based approach that creates opportunities for residents, preserves affordable housing and rebuilds inclusive neighborhoods. The central focus point of this initiative is the Smithfield Court public housing community. The theme that runs throughout Choice Neighborhoods is social equity and economic mobility. HABD and the City are working with local, regional and federal partners to bring significant resources to the community.
This Initiative puts residents first and aligns partners and resources to invest in People/Education, Housing and Neighborhood.
Watch Summary Video Below!
A STRONGER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
HOUSING
New apartments that are climate resilient with community amenities and for sale homes integrated into the neighborhood
PEOPLE/EDUCATION
High-quality education, workforce training, living wage jobs, wellness and quality healthcare
NEIGHBORHOOD
Parks and safe community spaces, shops and job centers, multi-modal, high tech connectivity
Affordable Housing
Empowering People
Neighborhood Assets
WHO
HABD and the City of Birmingham lead the initiative with partners including Integral Development/Rule Enterprises, The Ascent Project, Birmingham City Schools, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and United Way.
WHAT
Choice Neighborhoods is HUD’s program to preserve affordable housing, expand opportunity and strengthen neighborhoods. The $50 million grant supports a coordinated plan for housing, resident services, education and neighborhood improvements.
WHERE
The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative will rebuild the Smithfield Court public housing site with new mixed-income apartments. The Choice Neighborhood includes Smithfield- College Hills, and Graymont, bounded by north: Interstate 20:, east: 10th Street:, south: Graymont Avenue; west: Jasper Road.
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HOW
Reimagining Smithfield Court and the Smithfield- College Hills, Graymont community, the Choice Team worked with residents and the community to develop a Revitalization Plan/ Choice Neighborhoods
application that serves as the guiding document for directing transformative change and investment to benefit existing residents.