$29.6M Cooper Green Homes renovation set for public celebration Oct. 14

The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District and Paces Preservation Partners have finished a nearly $30 million overhaul of Cooper Green Homes in Birmingham. The public can tour the renovated 227-unit affordable housing community at a ribbon cutting next week.

Why it matters: - Cooper Green Homes is a 227-unit affordable housing community serving households earning 60% of area median income or less. - The renovation updates a 32-acre property that was built in 1971. - The project adds upgraded housing stock in Birmingham and preserves affordability in a city where lower-cost apartments are in demand.

What happened: - The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District and Paces Preservation Partners completed a $29.6 million renovation of Cooper Green Homes in Birmingham, Alabama. - The public celebration is set for Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. at 1501 Arthur Shores Drive SW. - The event is free and includes tours of the property, photos, video access and lunch. - Media interested in in-person interviews are asked to email or call the press contact.

The details: - The renovation covers interiors and exteriors of all 227 apartment homes. - The work also includes the management office, several playgrounds and a dog park. - Financing came from Synovus Bank, United Bank, Bellwether and the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District. - Speakers listed for the event include HABD Chairwoman DeJuana Thompson, HABD President and CEO Dontrelle Young Foster, District 6 Councilor Crystal Smitherman, Soho Housing Partners President and CEO Steve Bien, The Paces Foundation Chief Development Officer Steven Bauhan, Synovus Director of Community Investment Capital C. Reed Dolihite and AHFA Multifamily Administrator David Young. - Paces Preservation Partners is a strategic partnership between The Paces Foundation and Soho Housing Partners.

Between the lines: - The project extends the life of a large public-affordable housing site rather than replacing it with higher-cost housing. - The combination of public housing leadership, private development partners and bank financing shows how these renovations often depend on layered capital and multiple institutions. - The inclusion of amenities such as playgrounds and a dog park signals a broader effort to make the community more attractive and functional for residents.

What's next: - Cooper Green Homes will open for public tours after the Oct. 14 celebration. - The renovation will move from construction completion into resident and community visibility. - HABD and Paces Preservation Partners will likely use the event to highlight the project as a preservation model for other affordable housing developments.

The bottom line: - Birmingham is getting a fully renovated, long-standing affordable housing community without losing its income restrictions or scale.