Residents vehemently oppose rezoning
bi v-n/vii^L UAV1S ?
THE CHRONICLE
Roughly 50 people came out on
Tuesday night, April 28, to voice their
opinion on the rezoning of 939 Cleveland
Ave. to a shelter for The Salvation Army.
The community responded with an
overwhelming no to the request.
The forum, held by Council Member
Derwin Montgomery at
the Rupert Bell an
Recreation Center, was
held so that residents in
the East Winston com
munity could discuss
the proposal with each
other, members from
The Salvation Army
and members from
Uniicino AllfhnriK> nf
W.nston-Salerm ' salZl'nTriny
Pe , "0USln8 Board Chair
Authonty of Winston
Salem's Board of
Commissioners has signed a petition of
? protest against the rezoning of the property
lat 939 Cleveland Ave. at a special meeting
that was called on April 21. A petition of
protest triggers a super majority of the City
Council in order for the rezoning to pass,
meaning it would require six members to
pass instead of five, meaning the mayor
would have to vote.
The petition could prevent The
Salvation Army from purchasing the day
care building from Greater Cleveland
Christian Church and turning it into an
estimated 90-bed facility to house home
less individuals dirm-tlv
across from the Oaks at
Tenth property.
Both Major James
Allison, from The
Salvation Army, and
Larry Woods, CEO of
HAWS, attended
Tuesday night's meet
mo nnrl cnnlrp tn otton
dees about their wishes Woods
and answered ques
tions. "We believe that
the family shelter coming to the Cleveland
Avenue area is not a deterrent at all to the
economic or any other progress in this
area," Allison said. "We are happy to be in
this neighborhood, we want to be in this
neighborhood and we need to be in this
neighborhood. It is a place in the commu
nity that needs us."
Woods said council must stick to the
plan. "We believe that if this community
put together this plan, it should be adhered
to by all city government and agencies.
Any changes of that plan should be
brought back to the community, for the
community's sake," he said.
Resident Donja Gillis doesn't live in
the area but said that she believes the orga
nization's presence would benefit the area.
"I've been serviced by The Salvation
Army, and I'm pretty sure that a lot of you
guys against the rezoning, your families or
you have received services from The
Salvation Army," Gillis said. "Most of the
time The Salvation Army is servicing peo
ple from this community. It's hard to sit
and hear this area say 'we don't want a
shelter that is only to help people.'"
James Russo disagrees and said that
the community should fight for the original
plan. "We have a plan now. Winston
Salem finally has a plan that will develop
East Winston. We've had to fight for a gro
cery store and drug store. We can get an
ABC store but we've had to fight for any
thing else that's been positive in the com
munity," he said. "Don't let this take away
all of the hard work and efforts to improve
the economic development of East
Winston." Resident Jimmy Norwood said
that he chose to live in East Winston and
was glad to see the turnout tonight.
"It's not a bad thing, but it's not the
thing for our neighborhood," he said. "No
matter what, perception is what drives the
reality. It may not be a bad thing but per
ception is what people see."
Abram Coker said he's lived in the area
all his life and has seen businesses come
and go over what he deems stupidity and
negativity.
"What I'm seeing is that something
that may be good and help the community,
people are using the excuse 'Not in my
community'Coker said. "Lack of knowl
edge is one of the problems. When some
one comes to do something good you don't
want it. Instead of making excuses you
need to work it and see what you get out of
it."
Antonio Pagan is the pastor of Iglesia
Christiana Area de Refugio (Arc of
Refuge) and is fairly new to the area. His
church bought the property in November
2014. The shelter would be right next to
his building.
"It would be unfair for me to have an
opinion because I'm new to the area, how
ever we have to hear the community and
do what they asked to be done," he said.
The City Council meeting will be held
on Monday, May 4 at 7 p.m. at the City
Hall building in Room 230. For those who
cannot make the council meeting, it can be
viewed live online by accessing the gov
ernment website:.
http://www.cityofws.org/home-center/pub
lic-meetings.
Rezoning
from page AT
"We believe that the
shelter is not compatible
With the long-terni redevel
opment of that area at this
jtime,"he said. "Webelieve
the Masterplan process is
in the early stages and that
a shelter coming in at this
time could have a chilling
effect on bringing in
investors, including new
homeowners."
Woods said that this has
not been an easy decision
to come to but he said that
he doesn't want it to seem
tike the housing authority
is blocking the agency.
"This is about the
dreams and aspirations that
this community has put
forth, which we believe
should be honored and
maintained by both the
county and the city.
Changes to that plan should
be a community decision
with community input,''
said Woods. "Having a
group come in and make a
request is not compatible
with the plan. We just don't
think it's a good thing."
In November 21) 13,
HAWS announced the
opening of The Oaks at
Tenth, housing exclusively
for working public housing
clients. The program is a
part of the Housing
Authority's "Step Up" pro
gram that promotes self
sufficiency. Prior to admis
sion and to continue occu
pancy, head of households
will need to maintain a
work schedule of at least
30 hours per week, except
for those who are elderly or
disabled. Tenants who are
unable to maintain the
work requirement over a
period of time would still
, have the option of residing
\in more traditional afford
able housing locations.
J The complex is made
/ up of one-, two-* or three
/ bedroom apartments with
single and multi-level floor
plan options. The complex
has 50 units with energy
efficient appliances.
The location is consid
ered the first phase of the
Cleveland Avenue
Initiative Masterplan. That
plan was established to
revitalize the surrounding
130-acre community as a
mixed-use neighborhood.
Per U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban
Development (HUD)
guidelines, the plans are
developed by local leaders,
residents, stakeholders and
private developers from the
community.
Housing employees
Kevin Cheshire, vice presi
dent and general counsel,
and Troy Dehaven, director
of real estate development,
have been working with a
community planning group
to create that plan.
The agency received a
$500,000 grant from HUD
as a recipient of the 2013
Choice Neighborhoods
Planning Grant to support
the development of a com
prehensive neighborhood
Transformation Plan for
Cleveland Avenue Homes,
a traditional public housing
community.
^ The prog^m supports
locally driven strategies to
address struggling neigh
borhoods with distressed
public or HUD-assisted
housing through a compre
hensive approach to neigh
borhood transformation.
Chesire said The
Salvation Army
approached the agency
with its intent.
"We discussed it inter
nally in committee and
with the full board, and
determined that the use was
contrary to what we've
submitted and had
endorsed by the planning
board and City Council
regarding the Masterplan.
We told The Salvation
Army that while we sup
ported its mission, we
would not be able to
endorse the plan for a
rezoning to use as a home
less shelter," he said.
The rezoning has
passed the planning board
with a 7-2 vote.
A block away, con
struction vehicles are mak
ing way for another com
plex - Camden Station.
Both projects are sand
wiched between Cleveland
Avenue Homes and Sunrise
Towers, an aging high-rise
for senior citizens and
those with disabilities.
Combined, The Oaks at
Tenth and Camden Station
cost about $9 million -
money that was mostly
secured by the agency
through bank loans.
Camden Station is a
proposed 30-unit apartment
community that will con
sist of 14 one-bedroom, 14
two-bedroom and 2 three
bedroom units, with private
entrances.
Camden Station will be
the second new apartment
community by the Housing
Authority in the Cleveland
Avenue Initiative
Masterplan area that is a
part of the "Step Up" pro
gram.
Woods said that the
revamping in the area has
spurred other property
owners into action.
One of those would be
George Carr, the owner of
Summit Square, who has
written a letter to City
Council opposing the
rezoning.
"He has been motivated
to redevelop and reinvest
into his property with $1.5
million in renovations,"
Woods said. "We are find
ing some single-family
homes who are starting to
invest into their homes.
"It is starting to do what
we thought it would do.
which is stimulate invest
ment in economically dis
advantaged neighbor
hoods.'The Salvation
Army, which has provided
shelter for 108 years in the
city, is the only provider of
emergency housing for
homeless families that usu
ally consist of single-moth
ers and their children. Last
month, the shelter provided
over 900 nights of lodging
to children under age 18,
according to data from The
Salvation Army.
Families that live in the
shelter are offered three
meals each day and essen
tial services, such as trans
portation assistance, cloth
ing and tutoring and home
work help for children.
Residents of the shelter are
required to be in the build
ing by 8:30 p.m. every day
unless they are working.
attending church or com
munity meetings.
The agency would have
to install showers in the
rooms and a sprinkler sys
tem at 939 Cleveland Ave.
before moving in, if
approved. "At this point,
we don't have another
option," Allison said. "We
found this and literally fell
in love with it, putting our
heart and soul into getting
it. If this doesn't end in our
favor, we will not be angry
at anyone at all. We will
regroup and begin looking
for somewhere to relocate
our shelter."
The City Council meet
ing Monday, will be at 7
p.m. at the City Hall build
ing in Room 230. It also
can be viewed live online :
hitp://www.cityofyvs .org/ho
me-center/public-meetings.
NORTH CAROLINA'S
Pre-College Program
NC-MS
I The Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (CMSTE)
NC Mathematics and Science Education Network (NC-MSEN)
2015 Summer Scholars Pre-Colleae Program
Voted 2nd in the 2014 Winston-Salem Journal Newspaper Readers Choice Awards for
Best Summer Camp
For Middle and High School Students (grades 6-12) who are Interested In pursuing careers
in science, mathematics, technology, engineering, and teaching.
? Promoting Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education
? Academic Instruction & Activities in Mathematics & Science
? Field Trip: Atlanta, 6A - Atlanta University Consortium Center (Clark Atlanta,
Spelman & Morehouse); MLK National Historic Park; Georgia Aquarium; World of Coke;
CNN Center/Olympic Park; Six Flags Over Georgia
12015 Summer Program Pate*
June 15 -26,2015; 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m.
KmiMmntlal a, Non-Rttldcntlal options available
Daadllna for enrollment: Ratldmntiai - May 8,2015;
Program ontv-na trio - June 5,2015
Payment Options are available
For further Information about the program and online enrollment please refer to the
website: www.wssu.edu/ncmsen and select Summer Scholars or call 336-750-2M5.
? % ???-4
*
t