QUICK SUMMARY
On September 8, 2026, Trussville City Council member Ben Horton introduced a proposed moratorium on demolitions in the Cahaba Project, the 1930s New Deal neighborhood north of downtown Trussville that sits on the National Register of Historic Places. It is meant as a temporary hold while the city finishes a proposed overlay district that would require a replacement house plan to be filed with any demolition permit. The proposal does not cover the neighborhood’s commercial buildings. Final wording is expected to come up for a vote at the council’s September 22 meeting. Update: at that meeting, Horton asked to postpone the vote so the wording could be clarified, and no new date was set. If it passes later, owners of Cahaba Project homes could not tear a house down while the moratorium is in place. Renovations, additions and home sales would not be blocked.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 UPDATE: VOTE POSTPONED
The Trussville City Council did not vote on the Cahaba Project demolition moratorium on September 22, 2026. Council member Ben Horton asked to postpone it to clarify the wording, and no new date was set, so no moratorium is in effect. Separately, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 on August 10 against recommending the permanent Cahaba overlay district.
The Cahaba Project is one of the most distinctive neighborhoods The Williams Group at Keller Williams Realty works in on the east side of Birmingham. It is also the place where the tension between “preserve the cottage” and “build the house my family needs” shows up in the starkest way. Here is the background, what was proposed, and what it means for you. Last updated: September 2026 (revised September 23, 2026 after the September 22 council meeting).
Key Takeaways
1. The moratorium was introduced at the September 8 work session. The vote expected September 22, 2026 was postponed at council member Ben Horton's request to clarify the wording. It is not in effect.
2. It is a bridge to a proposed Cahaba Project overlay district that would tie every demolition permit to a replacement house plan. On August 10, 2026, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 against recommending that overlay, so it goes to the council without a favorable recommendation.
3. The Cahaba Project has 287 original homes (243 single-family, 44 duplexes) built 1936 to 1938 by the federal Resettlement Administration. The historic district covers 208 acres and was listed on the National Register in 2006.
4. National Register status does not stop demolition. Trussville’s Design Review Committee has no enforcement power. That is why teardowns have continued and why the council is acting.
5. If you are buying a Cahaba Project home with plans to tear it down, do not close until you know the rules. If you are buying to restore, the rules are moving in your favor.
What is the Cahaba Project?
The Cahaba Project, formally the Cahaba Homestead Village Historic District, is Trussville’s original neighborhood. The federal Resettlement Administration built it between 1936 and 1938 on the site of the old Trussville Furnace, on the banks of the Cahaba River. Locals first called it “Slagheap Village” because of the slag piles left from the furnace. The plan by landscape architect W. H. Kestler put 243 single-family houses and 44 duplexes on half-acre to three-quarter-acre lots wrapped around a central green called The Mall. Most are one- and two-story American four-square cottages with brick or wood siding, and each came with electricity, hot and cold water and a sewer connection, which many “Old Trussville” families did not yet have.
The district is roughly bounded by Rockridge Avenue on the west, the Cahaba River on the east, Gadsden Highway on the south and Poplar Street on the north, with North Chalkville Road running through the middle. The old Hewitt High School building near The Mall is now Cahaba Elementary School. The village joined with Old Trussville to incorporate the City of Trussville in 1947. Its National Register listing, completed in February 2006, counted 266 contributing and 11 non-contributing properties across 208 acres. It is believed to be one of the last intact Resettlement Administration communities in the country, which is why the neighborhood draws preservation interest from well beyond Jefferson County.
What exactly did the council propose on September 8?
During the council’s pre-meeting work session, council member Ben Horton introduced a moratorium on demolitions in the Cahaba Project. He said he had sent the proposal to the city’s legal team for review weeks earlier and framed it as a stopgap: “It may be appropriate for us to discuss this moratorium, whether this is the appropriate mechanism to protect the historical integrity that’s recorded on the National Park Service registry.” He was clear that commercial buildings are excluded, at least as drafted, and that he does not want a moratorium that “infringes on private property rights.” In his words, it is “not necessarily about stopping demolition altogether.”
The bigger tool is the Cahaba Project overlay district the city began working on in the spring of 2026. As described, the overlay would require any demolition permit in the neighborhood to be submitted together with a replacement house plan, so the city and neighbors could see what is going up before what is there comes down. The overlay was scheduled for a work session in August, but it has not been approved by the planning and zoning commission and has not been placed on a council agenda. The moratorium would hold the line until it is.
Earlier moratorium talk did not go anywhere. This time, final wording was expected to come before the council for a vote at the second meeting of the month, September 22, 2026. That vote was postponed (see the update below).
Own a home in the Cahaba Project or anywhere in Trussville? Find out what it is worth today with a free home valuation, or call or text 205-292-7142.
What happened at the September 22 council meeting?
The moratorium did not get a vote. At the September 22, 2026 Trussville City Council meeting, council member Ben Horton, who introduced it, asked to postpone the item so the language could be clarified. He said the goal is still to protect the historic district while making sure future development is fairly represented. No new date was announced. As of September 23, 2026, there is no demolition moratorium in effect in the Cahaba Project.
Where does the Cahaba overlay district stand?
The moratorium is meant to hold things in place until the city decides on a permanent rule, the proposed Cahaba Homestead Village Historic Overlay District. On August 10, 2026, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 against recommending it, and gave the same 4-3 vote to a companion ordinance creating a Design Review Committee. Both still go to the City Council, which can approve, change or reject them. As presented, the overlay would:
Set deeper front yards: Front-yard setbacks of at least 40 feet.
Stop lot splits: No subdividing a lot to build additional new homes.
Add design rules: Architectural and appearance standards for changes, reviewed by a Design Review Committee.
Commissioners disagreed about whether one neighborhood should carry extra rules and how strict the design standards should be. Ideas floated included dropping a ban on large windows and doors, requiring garages to sit behind the house rather than be hidden entirely, and limiting demolition exemptions to renovations under 50 percent of a building's value. For buyers, the takeaway is that the rules for this neighborhood are still moving. If you plan to tear down, split a lot or build new, get the current status from the city in writing before you make an offer.
Also on the September 22 agenda: the council gave a first reading to an ordinance declaring city property at 525 Main Street surplus and authorizing its sale to TDG Development Company LLC (the Dobbins Group) for a proposed $33 million luxury senior living development downtown. A first reading is not final approval. The council also approved the fiscal 2027 city budget 2-1 and renamed City Hall Drive as Arthur Payne Drive.
Why are teardowns such a big issue in the Cahaba Project?
Three facts explain it. First, the lots are big for a walkable neighborhood next to downtown, often a half acre or more. Second, the original cottages are small by 2026 standards. Third, Trussville City Schools are highly rated and the city keeps growing, so land near downtown is worth a lot to a family that wants a 3,000-square-foot house. Put those together and a 1930s cottage on a big lot becomes a teardown candidate whether the neighbors like it or not.
This is not new. In 2017 a homeowner demolished a cottage to build a new house, and the city put a 90-day moratorium on demolitions while it looked for long-term guidelines. That moratorium expired without permanent rules. In 2018 the council discussed creating a Historic Preservation Commission under Alabama Code 11-68, which would have had real enforcement power, but residents were split. Some wanted strict protection; others did not want a board telling them what they could do with a house they had already added onto. Nothing was adopted. The Design Review Committee that reviews exterior changes has never had enforcement power, and demolitions have not required its approval at all.
One point that surprises many buyers: a National Register listing does not protect a house from its owner. The Alabama Historical Commission told Trussville residents that directly in 2018. The Register is an honor and a research tool, and it can open the door to certain tax credits, but it places no restrictions on a private owner who wants to demolish. Only local rules, such as an overlay district or a preservation ordinance, can do that. That is what the council is now deciding.
What would a moratorium mean if you own a Cahaba Project home?
You could not demolish your house while it is in effect. The exact length and any exceptions will be in the final wording, which had not been released as of this writing. Ask the city’s building department for the current status before you apply for any demolition permit.
Renovations and additions are not the target. As described at the work session, the moratorium is about demolition. Normal permits for additions, kitchens, roofs and exterior work would continue under the existing process. If the overlay district passes later, it could add design standards, so watch that separately.
Selling is unaffected, but disclose what you know. Alabama is a caveat emptor state, so sellers have limited disclosure duties. Even so, if a buyer asks whether the house can be torn down, the honest answer in September 2026 is “not right now, and maybe not without a replacement plan later.”
Value cuts both ways. Rules that limit teardowns can trim what a builder will pay for your lot. The same rules protect the tree-lined, cottage-scale character that makes the neighborhood worth more than a typical 1930s subdivision in the first place. Which effect wins depends on the house, the lot and the buyer.
What should buyers know before making an offer in the Cahaba Project?
If your plan is to buy and tear down, stop and get the current rules in writing from the City of Trussville before you close. A demolition moratorium, even a short one, changes the timeline and the cost of that plan, and the overlay district could permanently require a replacement house plan and possibly design standards. Write your offer with a contingency that fits, and expect the seller to ask what you intend to do with the house.
If your plan is to buy and restore, the direction of these rules is in your favor. Every teardown that does not happen keeps the streetscape you are paying for. Budget realistically: an 88-year-old cottage often needs electrical, plumbing and foundation work, and a thorough home inspection matters more here than in a 2015 subdivision. Ask about the age of the roof, the sewer line and any past additions that may have been done without permits.
Either way, remember the numbers. Trussville is one of the pricier suburbs in Jefferson County, and Cahaba Project homes trade on location and charm as much as square footage. Our September 2026 Greater Birmingham market report has the current figures, and our Complete Guide to Living in Trussville covers the neighborhood in more depth.
What else happened in Trussville this week?
I-59 now has a third northbound lane through Trussville. ALDOT opened the widened northbound section between I-459 and Chalkville Mountain Road (Exit 141), about 3.5 miles that carries roughly 63,000 vehicles a day. The U.S. 11 ramp to I-459 North, closed since January while crews built a new bridge over Edwards Lake Road, is also back open. The full $70 million project, including the southbound final asphalt layer and resurfacing of I-459 near the interchange, is scheduled to finish in spring 2027. For anyone commuting from Trussville to downtown Birmingham or the airport, this is the biggest quality-of-life change of the year.
The proposed FY2027 city budget got its first reading. Mayor Ben Short’s administration projects $51.39 million in operating revenue against $42.57 million in operating expenses, leaving $8.82 million in net operating revenue and, after capital spending and debt service, a projected surplus of about $1.02 million. The budget vote is also expected September 22.
A local perspective from The Williams Group
Trussville buyers usually come to us for one of three things: Trussville City Schools, newer construction with room to spread out, or the walkable downtown and its entertainment district. The Cahaba Project is the only place in the city where the third group and the second group compete for the same lots. That competition is exactly what the council is trying to manage.
Our advice is simple. If you are selling a Cahaba Project cottage this fall, price it to the restore-and-live buyer, not the teardown buyer, until the rules are settled. If you are buying, tell your agent your real plan for the house on day one so the offer and the contingencies match it. And if you want new construction with none of these questions, Trussville has plenty of it; see our new construction guide and our coverage of the Riggins development and other Trussville land deals.
Want a second opinion on a Cahaba Project cottage before you write an offer? Call or text The Williams Group at 205-292-7142 or read our Trussville guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cahaba Project demolition moratorium in effect now?
No. It was introduced at the September 8, 2026 work session, and the vote planned for September 22, 2026 was postponed so council member Ben Horton could clarify the wording. No new vote date had been announced as of September 23, 2026. Check with the City of Trussville for the current status.
Does the National Register listing stop me from changing my Cahaba Project house?
No. National Register status places no restrictions on private owners. Only local rules adopted by the City of Trussville, such as the proposed overlay district or a preservation ordinance, can limit demolition or set design standards.
Can I still sell my Cahaba Project home during a moratorium?
Yes. A demolition moratorium restricts tearing down structures. It does not restrict listing, selling, renovating or adding on, as the proposal was described on September 8.
Where is the Cahaba Project in Trussville?
Just north of downtown Trussville along the Cahaba River, roughly between Rockridge Avenue, Gadsden Highway, Poplar Street and the river, with North Chalkville Road through the center and The Mall green at its heart. Cahaba Elementary School sits near The Mall in the old Hewitt High School building.
What is the Cahaba Project overlay district?
The proposed Cahaba Homestead Village Historic Overlay District, drafted starting in spring 2026. As presented, it would set front-yard setbacks of at least 40 feet, bar subdividing lots for new homes, add architectural standards, tie demolition permits to replacement house plans, and create a Design Review Committee. On August 10, 2026, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 against recommending it. The City Council can still approve, change or reject it.
How The Williams Group can help
We follow Trussville’s council agendas so our clients do not get surprised at the closing table. Whether you own a 1938 cottage on Parkway Drive or are deciding between a Cahaba Project restore and a new build near the schools, we will give you the facts as they stand and update you when the council votes.
Buying or selling in Trussville?
Talk with a Greater Birmingham agent who knows the Cahaba Project, the schools and the new subdivisions.
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Sources
The Trussville Tribune, Trussville Council considers moratorium on historic house demolition, presents proposed city budget (September 9, 2026: Horton proposal, overlay district status, September 22 vote, FY2027 budget figures) and Third northbound lane opens on I-59 in Trussville (September 9, 2026: ALDOT lane opening, traffic counts, $70 million project, spring 2027 completion). The Trussville Tribune, Historic preservation efforts divide Cahaba Historic District homeowners (October 2018: National Register listing date and property counts, Design Review Committee limits, Alabama Historical Commission comments). ABC 33/40, Demolition Moratorium expires: Trussville works to preserve history in Cahaba Projects (June 2017: 90-day moratorium). Bhamwiki, Cahaba Homestead Village (construction dates, house counts, lot sizes, boundaries, 1947 incorporation). City of Trussville, FY2027 proposed budget. This article describes proposals as they stood on September 10, 2026; confirm current rules with the City of Trussville before relying on them. The Trussville Tribune, Trussville council approves 2027 city budget, waits on Cahaba Project moratorium (September 22, 2026) and Cahaba overlay heads to Trussville City Council with unfavorable Planning and Zoning recommendation (August 11, 2026).