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Wake County Commissioners gave final approval Monday for a controversial project to turn a Raleigh apartment complex into affordable housing.
Commissioners voted 6 to 1 in favor of the plan by CASA, a Raleigh non-profit developer, to purchase the Georges Mews Apartments off Glenwood Avenue and turn them into housing for people with low incomes or disabilities.
"I think this is a very beautiful project," said Commissioner Harold Webb.
The vote had been delayed from last month when commissioners tabled a decision to give the City of Raleigh, which had already approved the plan, to consider recent criticism of the proposal and hold a public hearing.
City Council instead voted the next day to support the plan a second time.
Wake Commissioners mostly had favorable views of the project, especially after CASA promised that all existing tenants would be given a one-year extension on their leases if they chose to do so.
Any current tenants earning more than the salary cap of $31,000 a year would have had to move at the end of their current leases, but commissioners said this extension would give them more time to look for other housing.
Commissioner Paul Coble was the sole vote against the project, questioning whether this project was the best use of the county's money.
Coble also criticized the purchase because he said it does not build any additional affordable housing units for the area; instead it converts existing units.
"So we're not really adding to the inventory, and if there's anything we need to be doing now is adding to the inventory," he said.
Neighbors in the historic Glenwood Brooklyn neighborhood have voiced concerns the plan would bring crime to the area and ultimately lead to lower property values.
CASA CEO Debra King has said those concerns are unfounded and CASA has had very few problems with its existing projects already in Wake County.
The purchase of the 26 units at Georges Mews would be CASA's largest project.
King said with Monday's approval, CASA could officially purchase the complex by the end of the month.
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By Trian on 10/07 02:52 PM
Brika, I am going to respond, as I did on the News & Observer's piece at http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1245603.html. -- Either you are trying to sound sanctimonious, or you are not aware of how special interest groups work to influence public policy. The council voted before the public comment period. The people that hung around the additional hour AFTER the vote had already taken place were there as members of special-interest groups, not residents of the neighborhood. There has consistantly been one person who lives in the neighborhood who spoke in favor of it during the public comment period. The neighborhood association vote was overwhelmingly against the project. Jack McKinney, co-paster of Pullen Baptist, spoke. He lives in Cary, exactly 10.3 miles away from this project. He represents a special-interest group. Watch for yourself. At 42:15 they have their vote, and you can see the room clear. http://wake.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=289 I did not see the 6 AM news, but rest assured, those in the neighborhood are overwhelmingly against this project. The council voted WITH special interest groups, and AGAINST the wishes of the surrounding neighborhood. That means that Coble voted for his constituients, while the council voted for special interest groups. Therefor I see nothing wrong with a journalist saying what you claimed they said. Brika, the residents of Wake County are not as stupid as CASA would like everyone to believe. Prancing out speakers for special interest groups who do not live in this neighborhood is not a testimony to the "overwhelming support" the project receives. It is not well-received by neighbors, nor concerened tax payers of Wake County. The county just voted to take over $10,000 a year off of the tax roll, and will actually be subsidizing this 25-year-old woodframe building for the next 30 years, all while adding no new affordable housing units to the Wake County market.
By Brika on 10/07 06:22 AM
I would like to comment on the NBC17's introduction and content of this story reporting this morning in the 6:00 news period. The newscaster introduced Commissioner Coble, who voted against the project, as the sole Commissioner "who voted with the people." In the story, the newscasters mentioned only the individuals who do not support this project. I attended the first County public hearing and my colleagues attended the second. In the first hearing, there were more individuals who stood up and spoke in favor of the development, both residents of the neighborhood and others, than those who spoke up against. According to my colleagues, this was the same during the discussion yesterday. CASA is a well-respected organization, and will manage the properties well. To be clear, only a portion of the units in the CASA development would be for persons with disabilities, while the remaining would be for lower-income individuals making salaries in the brackets for police officers, starting teachers, etc. NBC17-- please present information about affordable housing fairly. This is already an uphill battle, but is neccesary to provide housing for our police officers, teachers, and others who support our day-to-day lives.
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