City Council OKs Rolling Hills
help, holds off on New Hope Manor
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
The Winston-Salem
City Council lent its sup
port to a $7.8 million reha
bilitation of Rolling Hills,
but delayed action on a
loan for renovating New
Hope Manor during its
Monday, Sept 19, meeting.
Rolling Hills has made
headlines in the last
months for its substandard
conditions and multiple
housing code violations.
The council unanimously
approved an endorsement
of $7.8 million in housing
revenue bonds for Steel
Rolling Hills LLC to
acquire and rehabilitate the
110 unit apartment com
plex. The bonds do not
involve city funds, nor is
the city liable for repay
ment.
The council previously
approved bonds of up to
$5.6 million for Rolling
Hills, when it was estimat
ed it would take up to
$17,000 per unit for reha
bilitation. The council
revisited the issue when it
became apparent that
might not be enough to get
the units up to code and
keep them that way. The
property has a history of
having the minimum done
to get the apartments into
code compliance, only to
have them fall below that
standard again. City
Council Member Derwin
Montgomery said he felt
the new bond amount,
which allows for $42,000
per unit, will make mean
ingful change to the com
plex.
"It will go far to make
sure the quality of housing
for those individuals who
reside in Rolling Hills will
be something that the
entire community will be
proud of," he said.
Montgomery didn't
believe the same was true
of a $1.6 million loan to the
Housing Authority of
Winston-Salem to acquire
New Hope Manor and
rehab the units there so
they stay up to code.
"This is, in my opinion,
a Band Aide on issues that
exist on the property," he
said.
HAWS' plan for the
distressed property is to
demolish seven of the 18
buildings there that are
unfit for habitation and
rehabilitate the remaining
79 units, spending $1.2
million, or about $15,000
per unit, on rehab. HAWS
would also apply for a fed
eral Choice Neighbors
grant that would allow it to
demolish and rebuild the
complex in a few years.
Montgomery said that it
may be better to look at
other ways to get residents
into affordable, quality
housing rather than spend
money to fix apartments
that will be demolished.
City Council member
Robert Clark wanted to
approve the measure, say
ing that HAWS had a good
reputation for turning
around properties. City
Council Members Jeff
Macintosh and D.D.
Adams also had concerns
about if the amount was
enough to fix the units and
if the $2.6 million appraisal
of the property is current
and accurate.
Ritchie Brooks, direc
tor of community and busi
ness development, said that
city staff has not done a
visual inspection of the
apartments to confirm if
the amount of money
HAWS is planning to
spend will be enough.
HAWS Director Larry
Woods assured the council
it was not a "Band Aide
job," with extensive reno
vations that include replac
ing floors, cabinets and
refrigerators. He said resi
dents where also asked
about problems in individ
ual units that need fixing.
New cameras and off duty
police officers will be used
for security. He said that if
HAWS got the Choice
Neighborhood grant the
city would be paid back.
Woods said the amount
HAWS is spending on ren
ovations is lower than
Rolling Hills because the
units it's not demolishing
are in better shape.
'This is not Rolling
Hills, this is in a lot better
condition than Rolling
Hills," he said.
Ultimately, the item
was sent back to the
finance committee for fur
ther discussion next month.
Also during the meet
ing, the council approved
leasing property in
Kimberiey Park to Goler
CDC for a new hydropon
ics facility by 7-1. Clark
was the only "no" vote,
saying he didn't think it
was a good use of park
land, that the city shouldn't
be "getting into the lettuce
business" and that he felt
the job training there
wouldn't be transferable to
other jobs in the area. The
facility will grow vegeta
bles in water and provide
fresh produce to the
Kimberley Park communi
ty, which is a food desert
The City Council has
already approved $962,000
for the project.
Montgomery
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ANEMIA SYMPTOMS ARE EASILY MISSED PROJECT
Symptoms of anemia are very common to many other
conditions and can therefore be easily missed. Common STUDY
anemia symptoms include:
y Feeling tired often ?
| y Shortness of breath
> Dizziness
y Racing heartbeat
ANEMIA DUE TO CHRONIC KIDNEY
DISEASE CAN BE TREATED
Anemia due to chronic kidney disease is primarily treated
with an injection of a medication that helps your body
produce red blood cells. Because your body needs iron
to make red blood cells, your doctor may also give you
iron, either in pill form or as an IV.
[
A RESEARCH STUDY MAY BE AN OPTION
The PROTECT Study is a new research study evaluating
an investigational oral medication for people with
anemia due to chronic kidney disease. The study ^
compares the effectiveness of the investigational
oral medication to an approved anemia
medication given by injection. During the
study, qualified participants will either
receive the investigational oral study
medication or the approved injection.
Treating your anemia may give you
more energy and reduce your risk J
of serious health consequences.
: ?
Main Street Academy receives top ranking
SPECIAL TO THE
CHRONICLE
The North Carolina
Department of Public
Instruction released its
ranking of all schools in
North Carolina on Sept. 1.
All alternative schools
in North Carolina were
ranked based on the fol
lowing formula: 20% -
Student Persistence; 20% -
School Achievement based
on EOG and EOC test
scores, the ACT test
results, the 4 and 5 year
graduation rate, and math
course rigor; and 60% on
Student Growth developed
in conjunction with
EVASS, which is a growth
model for both students
and teachers.
Main Street Academy
received the highest rank
ing of "Progressing" as
assigned by the
Department of Public
Instruction based on an
improvement of at least
three points from the 2014
15 school data. The school,
under the leadership of
Ronald Travis, principal,
has been showcased at the
local Collaborative
Learning Conference and
the statewide Alternative
Schools Conference as one
of the most progressive
alternative schools in the
state. According to the
North Carolina
Department of Public
Instruction, all alternative
schools in the district
achieved "maintaining" or
"progressing" status during
the previous rating period.
Main Street Academy
accepts students in grades
6-12 who are assigned by
the Assistant
Superintendent of
Secondary Schools who
have violated the Student
Code of Conduct. The
school houses a Day
Treatment Program and
several character education
programs including its site
based "Jaguar Time" pro
gram and a ? new Youth
Development Initiatives
program beginning in the
2016-17 school year.
Travis feels that it's a team
effort: "While I under
stand the importance of
intelligent, competent lead
ership in the form of the
principal, it's more impor
tant to have caring teachers
who understand and
believe in our students."
Ronald Travis is begin
ning his third year as prin
cipal of Main Street
Academy. He previouly
served as assistant princi
pal and principal of Carver
High School.
There are some things that you
should know if you've been
diagnosed with chronic kidney
disease. In certain people, chronic
kidney disease can lead to a serious
condition called anemia. Anemia
occurs when your body doesn't have
enough red blood cells. Red blood
cells carry oxygen to the rest of your
body, giving you energy to do your
daily activities.
If anemia due to chronic kidney
disease is left untreated, you
are at risk for serious health
consequences, including a higher
risk of heart complications or
needing a blood transfusion. If
you are unsure if you have anemia,
or it's been a while since you've
checked, a doctor can diagnose
it through a simple blood test. t
COULD YOU HAVE
ANEMIA DUE TO
CHRONIC
KIDNEY DISEASE?
YES NO
Do you hove chronic
kidney disease? I?? L_J
Do you hove any of the
following symptoms
> Feel fired often [ } [ [
> Shortness of breath ? ?
> Dizziness ? ?I
> Racing heartbeat ? ? I
If you have chronic kidney
disease and checked off
at least one of the above
symptoms, you may have
a condition called anemia.