Amid hugs, memories and words of gratitude, Chatham Estates residents said goodbye on June 14, just weeks before they must leave the mobile home park where about 140 families built their lives over many years.
The closure of the park, following the sale of the property to developer Toll Brothers, triggered a gradual displacement process in which residents have until June 30 to vacate the property.
Some families have already moved out; others continue packing or searching for alternatives in a region where affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce.
The special farewell service on Sunday provided a collective space to name three feelings that defined the day: grief, gratitude and hope.
A Chapter Closing Marked by Grief
“We are losing a community that has been built over years,” Pastor Edith Salazar told Enlace Latino NC. “We have cried here, people have been born here, we have celebrated here, we have fought for justice. There is lived experience, there is history.”
Salazar explained that many families are experiencing grief that is not always immediately recognized, as they are losing not only homes but also a social fabric built over decades.
“It is sad, it is painful, because we are losing a community,” she said.
Emidia Roblero described the impact of displacement on her daily life, especially on her children’s education and family stability.
“My children would tell me, ‘Mom, we are suffering.’ And yes, that part hurt me,” she said before the other residents. “I would tell them, ‘Keep pushing forward.’”
Roblero explained that although many people try to appear strong during the moving process, the emotional pain of displacement is not always recognized or openly expressed. This is especially true, she said, when families are focused on addressing immediate needs such as school, work and housing.
Between Gratitude and Mixed Feelings
For Cristina, a resident for approximately 20 years, the farewell was marked by mixed emotions.
“I feel sad and at the same time happy,” she told Enlace Latino NC. “Happy because I was able to see my former neighbors and because we have a place to move to. We are no longer on the street.”
Angélica González, meanwhile, said the hardest part will be losing the daily closeness among neighbors.
“I’m going to miss feeling like we are family,” she said. “Even though it was very hot, we didn’t care as long as we were talking.”
However, she expressed gratitude for the time spent in this community, which allowed her to build lasting connections and friendships.
Community Support and Collective Action
Katia Roebuck, a community organizer with the Congreso de Organizaciones Latinas de Carolina del Norte, highlighted the role residents played in organizing to defend their rights and create institutional responses.
“The families raised their voices. They decided to take control and take the reins of the situation,” she told Enlace Latino NC.
That process contributed to local relocation assistance initiatives, such as Stables Homes Cary.
The municipal program called Stables Homes Cary is administered by Neighbor Up, formerly known as Dorcas Ministries. The organization provides assistance with security deposits, initial rent payments and other moving-related costs, said Ande Curry, senior director of community services for the organization.
In addition, a fund administered by Neighbor Up, established at the request of residents, had reached $104,181 as of publication.
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Faith, Resilience and Hope for the Future
Pastor Salazar emphasized that the gathering was also a space to recognize grief as part of the transition process.
“After grieving and recognizing our emotions, there is hope,” she told Enlace Latino NC. “God is faithful.”
Although many families have already found new homes and others remain in transition, the gathering’s final message was one of continuity beyond a physical place.
“We are still a community,” Salazar concluded. “Because what is built is not destroyed.”
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