Good afternoon, everyone.

And welcome to the general government meeting.

I hope everybody's enjoying all this pollen.

If you got allergies and sinuses, raise your hand.

Yeah, I know.

Thank you all so much for being here today.

When I came in, there wasn't anybody here but a couple of folks.

I said, well, I guess nobody really wants to do a Monday meeting.

Okay.

Well, either they know we got a packed agenda.

And for those that are presenting, please note that please try to be as as uh as expeditious as you can in your presentation.

Uh if you have a slide presentation, uh this longer than 10 slides, uh, please you know get us to the point.

All right.

Uh not only will we appreciate it, staff will appreciate it, and those visiting us today will appreciate it.

So thank you with that note.

Uh with the clerk please call the roll.

And um councilmember Burke is running a little late.

Chair, Mayor Pur Tim Adams.

Here, Vice Chair, Councilmember Joyner.

Present.

Councilmember Burke and Councilmember Hall.

Present.

Thank you so much.

Um we have, as you know, a two-part agenda, consent and general.

And our consent has uh two items on it.

Uh well, it's no, it's wrong.

That's presentations.

I got presentations first, and then I got the consent.

So, Mr.

Rao.

And would the clerk please call it?

P won resolution electing 2026 inductees to the Winston Salem Arts, Culture and Entertainment Memorial Walk of Fame.

Good afternoon, Chair, Mayor Pro Tempori Adams, Mayor Joins, members of City Council.

Back in uh January, the city advertised for uh nominations from the community for the uh Winston Salem Arts, Culture and Entertainment Memorial Walk of Fame.

Uh just want to go through a brief slide presentation here.

The uh current committee members uh of the nominating committee are Deedre Anderson, Eureka Felipe, Whitney Harness, Billy Rich, Corless Sellers, Marjorie Silber, and Terry Taylor.

Uh just a brief recap.

So the uh class of 2025 included William Grady Benton, Julian Carburrows, James Thackeray Diggs Jr., and Margaret Snodgrass Mueller.

So we did receive uh six nominations, and uh the criteria that the nominee committee has to consider isn't first that uh the nominees exhibited sustained excellence in his or her field for at least five years, that the nominee made distinguished contributions to the community and provided civic-oriented participation that the nominee is deceased, and that there's proof of that.

Um that the nominee was a resident of Winston Sound for at least five years.

And that the nominee made a significant contribution to one of the disciplines of the arts, significant meaning that what they did was iconic in terms of the renown and impact they had on that particular discipline or popular culture.

So the nominations that we received, we received six, uh Flanny T.

Anderson, Joshua Brookshire, Big Ron Hunter, Carlotta Samuels, Harold C.

Tadford, and Robert, uh, Dr.

Robert Ward.

And I'm not going to read through the slide.

I'm just going to highlight some of the uh really just the uh exemplary uh information about the the nominees.

And so the first one is uh Flanny T.

Anderson, and that was a discipline of theater.

Uh she founded the first black community theater in the South in 1952, and later it was became known as the Flany Anderson Theatrical Association.

She's the first black actor and director uh with the Little Theater of Winston Salem and is acclaimed for her role as Sojourner to uh Truth on PBS in 1976, and she received uh numerous recognitions later on, including distinguished women in the arts.

Uh she was the author of A Fearsome Force of Nature in 2019, 7 over 70 honorary here recently in 2024, and National Women of Achievement recognition in 2025.

You can see there's just numerous recognitions in her involvement in the Winston Salem community.

The next nominee is Joshua Brookshire.

His stage name was Speaking I.

He was a co-founder of that duo with his brother.

Uh he was considered a pillar of the Tiemont Underground scene from 2010 to 2022.

Uh kind of the psych rock hip hop uh genre of music.

He was the founder of the annual Winston-Salem wrapped round robin, which currently uh goes on now and is now dedicated in his memory.

Next um nominee was Big Ron Hunter in the area of music.

Uh nicknamed the world's happiest blues man.

I found it interesting.

His uh musical style is nicknamed Red Clay Squirrel Scratching Blues.

Um he blended blues, country, and singer-songwriter traditions in his music.

He's performed, he performed internationally in Belgium, Australia, and the Lincoln Center.

Um, and just uh just had a great community impact, known for his kindness, generosity, and encouraging musicians of all levels.

Next nominee was Carlotta Verlee Samuels Fleming.

Again, in the area of music, uh she toured globally with Jackie Sinclair and Sylvania Wilder uh with groups known as the New Supremes, Odyssey Five, the West Machine.

She also is a composer of original works, including Jesus You Got My Vote.

Um she uh interestingly is an ornate was an ordained minister and overseer at Macedonia Worship Center and active in their fine arts ministry.

Next nominee is uh Harold Tedford uh in the area of theater.

He served as a professor at White Forest from 1965 to 1998.

He led the design of the Scales Fine Arts Center and the main stage there at the scales was named after him in 2016.

Uh he was the artistic director and board member for Winston Salem Theater Alliance, and just generally known as an ambassador for the arts uh here in the community.

See the various uh activities that he was involved with there.

And finally, Dr.

Robert Ward uh in the area of music.

He uh composed the Pulitzer Prize winning uh opera The Crucible, uh which was staged in March of 2012 at the uh Stevens Center in celebration of his 50th anniversary.

Um he's also uh well the crucible is also one of the most performed American operas, and uh in that opera uh that production reinforced the Piedmont Opera Company's identity as a champion of American opera.

So uh the phenomenon committee under the uh the guidelines of the of this program can uh select up to five nominees.

These are the nominees that are being put forward to the general government committee this afternoon, Fonnie Anderson, Big Ron Hunter, Carlotta Samuels, Harold Tedford, and Dr.

Robert Ward.

So the slate is before you all for your review and consideration.

Uh, under the guidelines, you would make a recommendation to the full council, and full council would then approve it.

Uh right now would be scheduled for Monday, May 4th.

The uh the installation of the of the uh of the recipients will be in July on July 24th, 2026, prior to the start of the International Black Theater Festival.

These this slate would be uh inducted along with the class of 2025.

We do it every every other year.

Be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Rao.

Any questions or comments?

No.

I think this is uh one of our my favorite uh events for the city.

Uh that we recognize the people since we call ourselves the City of Arts and Innovation, uh, that we do this.

I know that the community appreciates it as well as their loved ones, as well as all of the people that they touch during their time of their greatness here in the city doing what they do.

Um I do know three of the people I went to school, high school with uh Carlotta.

Uh I know Big Ron and I know Flanny as well.

Uh I look forward to this.

Uh so we are asking uh for a resolution from this committee today to go ahead to be able to send it to the council May the 4th.

May I have a motion, please?

Second.

So moved.

Second.

So moved.

If they moved and properly seconded, uh that we approve the resolution electing the 2026 inductees uh to the Winston State of Mars Culture and Entertainment.

All those in favor, let it be are we voting electronically?

Uh we will be voting electronically, please say yes.

And if you uh nay, vote likewise.

And the motion passes.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Rao.

Uh would the clerk please call the next presentation?

P2 College Advisory Board annual report.

Uh Colbert and help me with the name because I don't want to say it.

Cobra Ose Usu.

Cobra Ose Ouse from Human Relations.

Yes.

Good afternoon, everybody and everybody in the room.

Uh my name is Cobert Ose Ousu, and I'm the human relations analyst here with the Human Relations Department, but I'm also the liaison for the College Advisory Board.

Um, and this board essentially um is designed to represent the needs and interests for college students, and today they're going to present um their research-based approach on exploring housing and harm reduction.

And so today, members of CAB would do that, and Jordan.

Thank you.

You would please give your name.

Hello, everyone.

I am Jordan.

I'm a rising junior at Winston State University.

Um I'm the chairperson of CAB, and I have been a member for the past three years.

Thank you.

Uh hello, my name is Jacob Burnett, and I'm a graduating senior at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

I am the community projects committee lead, and I've been on CAB for the past two years.

Thank you.

All right.

This year, CAB decided our annual project should be split into two topics.

Housing and harm reduction.

Our main focus was on college and universities and Western Salem, researching their specific programs and departments.

We ultimately split our board into two committees to officially research both topics.

We found that both housing and harm reduction are intertwined, and one rarely exists without the other.

Also, including our research are organizations who will work within Western Salem community on housing and harm reduction efforts.

Now Jacob will take over our research findings.

So to the left, um, here's a list of colleges and universities we researched.

All the campuses provide housing accommodations and accessible housing for students on campus.

However, the concern was the lack of accessible and affordable off-campus housing, as those options are found independently by students.

Um if we look at the right, harm reductions on campuses were found to be an effective way of lowering housing stress, including the broader Winston Salem communities organizations, including the Twin City Harm Reduction Collective and City with Dwellings support unhoused students and individuals within the Winston Salem community.

This includes mental health services like open hours on their grounds and mobile outreach, emergency response resources, including open hour medical professional consultants and overdose prevention resources like Narcan distribution operations.

Next slide.

As discussed earlier, available and affordable off-campus housing options are needed to expand housing options beyond what is available on each individual college campus.

We received feedback from multiple students about awareness of opportunities being one of the biggest hurdles they face regarding accessing and utilizing local resources.

Accessing and utilizing these resources would elevate our educational and personal experiences.

For harm reduction, um, harm reduction is a proactive approach.

It prioritizes preventative care over reactive solutions.

Instead of waiting for problems to arrive, it emphasizes pattern recognition and intervention.

In the long term, harm reduction methods reduce the financial strain students and the city is faced with.

As harm reduction is a preventative method, it reduces the number of emergencies, hospitalizations, academic disruptions, and this in turn reduces the overall medical costs and contributes to higher graduation rates.

Lastly, accessibility and affordability are essential to tools to harm reduction.

They expand access to critical resources and ensure that all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, can benefit from the different support systems available within the city, such as counseling, health care, substance use resources, educational programs, and more.

Through our findings, we made three observations that the city can continue doing.

First, the city should continue partnering with local colleges, community organizations, and service providers.

Second, the city should continue supporting initiatives that increase student awareness and access to local resources.

CAB is a great example of how you all have committed time and resources to hearing the voices of college students within the city.

Third, the city should continue developing affordable housing options.

On behalf of CAB, we want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to present our annual project and be part of this board.

Are there any questions?

Any comments or questions?

Thank you for your engagement.

As many of you of you know, we're doing everything we can.

We're going from changing zoning ordinances, uh creating uh plans and processes for developers to be able to build more housing, hopefully quicker and for not just you, but again, housing is for everyone.

And uh I look forward to hearing more from you uh as the year goes on as because we do this every day.

Uh as you know, our housing staff department uh are working diligently.

Uh the one thing that we don't have enough of, which which we which we wish we did, which ours is the money.

Uh, but we're trying to do the best we can with what we have.

But if your uh organization uh would be looking uh working with us as you are collaboratively to identify some other sources because we know y'all young people have a better deal with the internet and social platforms.

So if you could be out there, you know, in your time, uh designate that as a task that you provide us with information that you have found that we can do something better, where this again zeroing in on, and I don't know if we could legally do it, but you know, creating uh campus uh cottages or something within our community that's strictly allocated for those students that are going to college, just as we do for seniors and uh affordability for low-income and veterans and and unhoused.

But thank you so much for being here today.

I look forward to working with you.

What you good?

Okay.

Let the record please show that council member Burke is present.

Uh we'll now move on to our consent agenda.

And uh, as you know, it will be a voice vote uh on the balance.

Uh is there any are there any items that council or the committee would like to have pulled to discuss.

If not, may I have a motion to accept the consent agenda, please?

Move to approve to accept consent agenda.

Second.

Uh it has been moved and approved uh by council member Hall and Councilmember Jordan.

Uh all those in favor, again a voice vote.

Would you say designate by saying uh voting?

I'm all confused.

Voice.

Voice.

Voice vote.

All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, like so.

Thank you very much.

Again, I want to apologize.

I just got in last yesterday, 2 a.m.

in the morning from New Orleans.

I was in the airport uh for 13 hours.

So I'm I'm catching up with central time and everything else.

So uh charge it to the mind and not the heart.

We now move on to our general agenda with the clerk please call the first item.

Item G1, request for public hearing and an ordinance ordering the demolition and removal of a structure at 1135 Argonne Boulevard, located in the Southeast Ward.

Uh is Mr.

Cheney here.

Mr.

Cheney, I did get some communication from uh vis-a-vis the council member of the ward, council member Taylor, and also a realtorist working with this property.

Uh did they contact you?

They did not.

Uh the clerk.

I need you to to comment on the conversation that they would like this pulled or uh ACM right, Lanier.

Did you get any communication either?

I mean, I did not.

Um the basic conversation, city manager.

I I received communication from the uh from Councilmember Taylor saying that he had he had spoken to the developers, they were working to close the property, that they there was some problem with the title, so they were they were doing some additional research to get a clear title, and they expected to close um soon.

I didn't get an exact date, but he he asked if it could be held in committee continued for another month.

Are we good?

City attorney, all right.

Do we need a motion for that or anything?

Next date.

Could I please have a motion to continue?

Then the next date is May 11th.

Continue this item to May 11th.

Yes, yes.

Yes, at the committee of all.

Um so moved.

Second.

It's been moved and properly seconded by councilmember Hall and Council seconded by Councilmember Jorna.

Uh all those approved, let it be known by saying aye.

This is a this is okay, electronic.

Uh, would you please vote yes if you're in agreement and no if not?

Next item, please.

Thank you.

Item G2 request for public hearing on UDO CC 35 text amendment to modify chapters two, three, and four of the unified development ordinance to comply with NC House Bill 926.

Mr.

Murphy.

Good afternoon, Chair, members of the committee.

I'm going to introduce uh Veronica Romero on our staff.

She's our environmental project planner, and she will give you a brief presentation on this item.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Um Mayor joins Mayor Pro Tin Adams and Council members.

My name is Veronica Romero, and I'm with the uh planning and development services department.

I'm a environmental project planner, and I'm here to present on UDO CC 34.

It's a tax amendment uh to modify chapters two, three, and four of the UDO in response to the passage of NC House Bill 926.

Um just a little bit of background on that.

Um October of 2025 last year, uh the um NC General Assemble Assembly passed uh House Bill 926.

That's also known as the regular regulatory reform act of 2025.

Uh the bill seeks to provide uh regulatory relief to citizens in a number of areas of governance.

Could you talk into the mic, please?

Okay, I'm so sorry.

From my angle, it sounds a lot louder.

Um there's only two sections of the bill that affect the UDO, and that is uh sections 11 and 29.

Uh sections 11 um prohibits the waiting periods for refiling development applications after uh withdrawal or denial, and section 29 of uh the bill essentially clarifies vested rights for previously uh approved development um and also amends some standards for split jurisdiction.

Uh the planning staff uh met with the city attorney uh to review the UDO.

There's three sections of the UDO that need to be amended uh in order to comply with the bill.

Uh the section uh EDO section 27 to C is amended essentially to clarify provisions uh regarding vested rights and special use permits as outlined in the bill.

Uh section 3219A15 is deleted and marked as reserved.

Uh that's in order to comply again with the prohibition on waiting periods for resubmittals.

And section 432D is changed to mirror the same statutes on split jurisdiction um provisions in the bill.

Uh the in summary, the the changes I've uh outlined for you are um just required for the UDO to comply with the uh the language in NC House Bill 926.

Uh previously at the uh March 12th public hearing uh planning board recommended uh approval for this, and staff also recommends approval.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Uh what this does is bring this into compliance with the state general statute.

Uh so it's nothing that we just decided to do on our own.

Again, this is a mandate, basically.

So are there any questions, comments?

Could I have a motion, please?

Take a motion to approve.

Second.

I have a motion to approve item G2 by Councilmember Joiner, seconded by council member Hall.

All those in favor, please vote accordingly electronically.

Thank you.

And the motion passes.

Next item, please, Clerk.

Item G3, resolution approving amendment of transforming urban residential neighborhoods, the turn program eligibility and requirements.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

And Pro Tim Adams and elected count Mike.

I'm sorry.

Good afternoon, Pro Tim Adams.

Mayor and elected officials.

Good afternoon.

How y'all doing today?

So this right here is bringing forth to you on our agenda to extend the transforming urban residential neighborhoods, which is called the Turn Program Citywide.

Um, and also we're gonna do the same thing as we did before as far as doing the elector as far as they're getting approved for the loans, which is like an 80% AMI.

Um this will go out to the public because it's well needed for more areas than just the turn area.

Okay.

Okay.

So I'm gonna give you a little bit of history with the past, the present, and also the potential of the program.

We have asked in the past for this to be actually set forth everything was and everything is good, but the only things that we actually need to be done now is to actually get it extended to the actual city.

Right now, this is just an overview to give you a lot uh information on which pro which things we do, like the external the internal things that we have that will be offered to the community.

A little bit of history.

So the community and business development department began mapping out different wards that had code violations over a period of five years.

With this information, a bond referendum was placed on the ballot for four million and was allocated to curb the blight in mapped neighborhoods.

We found out that we need it more than ever in different neighborhoods also.

Why extend we have updated everything as far as the application process, the financial assistance is there, and it also helps with urban and citywide residential areas to curve the blight for co-violations.

A little bit of the history is listed above, and we have also had actual program, I mean uh events where we have served over 227 residents over the turn area.

So right now we have about 2.3 million dollars available in turn from funds, and our criteria is going to be based off of the 80% AMI, which is area medium income for all residents citywide.

This is just an idea of how our MIT our income limits are set up.

So just say if we have four people in a household with 80 percent, then that would be 69,350, which they can actually get approved up to outreach.

Is basically we're going to different community centers, the recreation centers, we're gonna have uh applications at all of these different um recreation centers that we have listed, and we also have um we're going to the libraries, we're gonna be going to some of the churches, we're gonna be passing out information to them also.

So the application process normally takes about six weeks, so it goes from being pre-approved to doing all the footwork as far as figuring out if they um with the application as far as their approval with um inspections, anything that's dealing with their homes, as far as any constructural damages, we have to look at that also, and also we have ERs and HRs that have to be done, so it's like a four to six week process before they even get started with working on it, and so our construction advisors will actually be available for any and all information that needs to go out to the customers, and our loan officers will also be available to talk to them, also.

So there are any questions.

Thank you.

Are there any questions or comments?

Councilmember Jordan, then counselor.

Yes, thank you.

Um why were so many applications canceled?

Not most of the time they did not have the eligibility, or they did not provide all of the documentation that was needed for their applications.

So the current eligibility is what you would be going forth with, yes, what we have already been been approved for.

Okay.

And what contractors are being used?

We have about four.

So they are already listed on our so the homeowner has no ability to choose their own.

No, unfortunately, because these have been vetted.

In the past, contractors have been vetted, yes, with questionable outcomes.

So what's the difference now than then?

Because we have construction advisors and we are a lot more on top of everything that they're due.

All of the necessary documentation is completed.

The um customers understand what needs to be done.

And if nothing is done, I will step in.

And so it are any of these funds uh set aside for grants for the least of them?

No.

And is it set aside for a higher amount of interest rate for those who are not living in the dwelling?

So if the interest rate is not a situation there because all of them are gonna be forgivable loans.

Forgivable loans for a five out-of-town investor.

No, that's one thing that is going away is the investor piece.

So what the investors income, what what part is going away for the investors?

The investor piece will no longer be available.

I think it is listed on there taken off, and I do apologize.

Okay.

Okay.

That would be my concern to clear that up.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Chair Adams.

Um thank you for the presentation uh that you gave Ms.

Kennedy.

Just uh part of the outreach portion of the presentation.

I know you said that you all will be going to the community centers and the recreation centers uh throughout the city.

That's about 17 of them, so that'll be good.

Um you also mentioned going to churches.

I would also recommend if you all have not thought about this, um, to do some community days.

I know of times there are different departments within the city that'll be doing that, the weather is changing.

Um, and so if you do not have that on your radar, I would encourage that, but you all probably do.

Um, the other thing is um uh different nonprofits of times will have community days as well, so that's another opportunity, particularly now that you're spreading it out, and your footprint's going to be much broader than what it's been before.

Um, but I would do that, and then even with the churches, they have the community days too.

So hopefully there'll be some additional opportunities for you all to have a wider footprint with the outreach.

And I also want to mention that we are marketing it, so it's gonna go out on Channel 14.

It will go out to them also, and we do have a Spanish podcast that we're gonna do, and we're gonna set up for next week.

Um, so we do have a lot of things that we're gonna try to reach out to the community to make sure that they can.

And if you want to get me any information, then I'll be glad to take it and go from there.

Okay, very good.

And then just to echo council member joyners' comments that when you all do that, widespread and marketing, make sure that investor piece is cleared up because that's gonna be important.

I do apologize for that.

You're good.

Thank you.

Thank you.

In 2015, uh, when the council and I was part of it, I was on general government then too, uh, decided to do this because this was a concern, uh, particularly for the council members that lived in the east, northeast, north, and the uh what's the other one, the southeast, uh, that the amount of blight, the amount of citizens not having a path forward to be able to preserve again.

This was done in conjunction with us getting into our housing mission and making it a priority.

Uh, again, Mr.

King and I and some others, uh, we got a grant to be able to uh for audit to go out and work us to start looking at not just the the land, the empty lots that we are now able to use in collaboration with building, but the first thing again that we made sure, even in that consultant report was preservation.

So if you have a house and you've not been able to do the upkeep, then there needed to be a path forward that this house wouldn't end up on our demolition, and you and your family not being able to live there or create generational wealth.

Uh, one of the things that we did was, you know, we pulled this together with staff.

We were learning, so we knew as we say today that any processes that are plans or ordinances that we create, they can always be tweaked or changed as the time changes or the situations or narratives change, and that's what's happened now.

We look back, and now we're 10 11 years ahead.

Um, one of the things that we didn't we had a lot of transition.

Uh thank you, uh the director of our housing department.

Thank you for making sure that we were able to hire.

We began to do in that under the new manager.

We were able to attract people because don't get me wrong, some of our great people left because they had got a reputation for getting things done.

So now we had to recreate the team again.

And with the help of uh the city manager and staff, we've done that, and I appreciate what you are doing.

Uh one of the things that we did see that we had done that we needed to address was the investor piece.

We knew then, like we know now that we needed to remove that.

But uh I look forward to this going forward.

And again, this was created that we were able to put this on the bond referendum uh back in 2014-15 to in order to have these funds to be able to do it.

One more piece.

There was a piece that there were two pieces that allowed the homeowner to basically pick their developer or whoever to fix the repairs of the house.

We had to do away with that because we did found out that a lot of these these issues that were reoccurring were sometimes the same uh person that was the contractor.

Uh so we removed that, and we would only use the contractors that we provide.

Another thing that we had to change was we were doing all kinds of rehab on these houses that were not basically hood uh required, such as heating and air, plumbing, things like that.

So we removed all of that, and now we have this new, I say more improved process, and I'm looking forward to see how well we are able to get uh citizens engaged with it and how we're able to get the housing uh rehab done quicker.

Again, thank you.

Thank you very much to all of the staff and all of you.

Uh Councilmember Burke.

Thank you, uh Chair Adams.

Thank you so much, Ms.

Kennedy, for this presentation.

I am excited about the term program and the opportunity for uh our citizens.

Um as you said, we have areas in the city where we've uh spent a lot of time uh with uh code enforcement issues.

So many people would love the opportunity, opportunity to renovate, revitalize their areas.

So I would like to publicly extend an opportunity to you, an invitation to you to come and be on the BERC briefing so that we can put this message and this information out and let the citizens know that this will be available for them.

Thank you.

I would love to.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just real quickly, we talk about a 2015 bond referendum.

I think we had one in 2014 or 2018.

So I assume we've already issued these bonds, so there's no danger of them going away, I'm assuming, Ben.

Hopefully that's correct, yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

We just weren't able to get the money out the door because again, with any business, uh, we had some issues.

But uh thank you again for getting us back on track.

Thank you.

Who do we have?

Okay.

Um may I have a motion to accept uh this resolution, please.

Move for approval.

Second.

So moved and properly seconded by Councilmember Burke and seconded by Councilmember Honor.

Uh would you please vote by saying aye?

And no if you don't approve.

Thank you.

And the motion passes.

Next item, please, Clerk.

Item G4, consideration of resolutions on affordable housing development financing and property conveyance.

Mr.

Blair.

Okay, uh good afternoon, uh, Mayor Joins, Mayor Pratim Adams, Council members.

Um I'm here.

This is the third iteration of RFPs that have been put out since 2014 or 2024, not 2014.

Um basically we put aside just over three million dollars for multifamily development and um about 500,000 for single family development on generally city-owned lots.

Um get started here.

Um, you know, an overview of the process.

We had schedules, we had deadlines.

We started this in February.

We had an affordable housing coalition meeting at the end of March.

We're at this meeting, and then we intend on trying to get these all approved by May 4th for the sole reason of if there was a tax credit application, those are due on May 15th.

So we had a very truncated and shortened time period for this process.

Um we had an evaluation process and squaring matrix that brought to you brought to you in the past.

I'm hitting the uh I'm sorry, hitting the microphone.

And then also um didn't talk about the actual recommendations for the um rental properties as well as city owned lots with single family housing funding.

And then the Affordable Housing Coalition moved to recommend the projects uh and funding to this committee.

Um the schedule again uh we had we did do a developer home buyer workshop in 216.

The application date was 36, it was reviewed over a couple of weeks in March, went to the Affordable Housing Coalition Board on 327, and at this meeting on 413, and again to City Council on 54.

We had 28 submitted applications that were not all complete.

You gave us a require some requirements over the last few months of trying to get some outreach to the neighborhood associations or to whomever they can.

Um, so they were just not reviewed.

Um then we had 11 complete applications, which meant that the applications uh included some outreach that was sufficient, as well as the application was understandable and was eligible for the funding that was available.

And it was based in not on one thing other than that requirement for the outreach, but uh scoring matrix, site score, uh overall quality of the application, thoroughness, uh viability in tangibles and intangibles is a funny word, but when you're reading something like this, you kind of understand what that might be.

Um best overall projects to get quickly quickly get housing built or stabilized.

The whole purpose of this is we have an affordable housing issue around the world and in the state and in the city, and we wanted to get projects that were ready to go, um, all within a three million dollar uh notice of uh uh funding availability and a $500,000 RFP for single family.

Scoring matrix, you've seen this uh at uh back in November or December.

Um if there are any questions about it, I can answer them, but hopefully probably just get through this right.

Um get to the recommendations for multifamily again, approved on 327 26.

Ms.

Blair, I have a question.

I apologize.

Would you go back to your screen with the applications on it, please?

Right here?

Yes.

So your numbers at the top, how do they mesh with what you have listed at the bottom?

I see like for Prosperity Alliance, you have three times three, and Williams development times two.

Does that mean that that's like two different It was one application, but on each application we allowed them to do up to three properties if it were city owned properties.

So one application may include three different parcels.

Okay, so the three and the two really equal five, plus the the six.

You have seven, which gives me twelve.

Help me understand again.

I I'm just looking.

I I saw it when I reviewed it the past week.

Because again, like I always say, make sure it looks and it adds up the way people are going to receive it.

Because they see 28 submitted applications, and you got the numbers beside it.

Does those numbers equate to 28?

And the numbers for 11 over here, does those numbers help to equate to 11?

Mm-hmm.

Um I can have this fixed for the uh council meeting.

That's fine.

But basically, if you count them out, there are 28 total applications or names of the basic the applicants that should be in that list.

The number that's after that is the number of parcels that they may have applied for.

So they are allowed three lots per application.

I would suggest please go back and look at the numbers and how it changes.

We will do that.

Thank you.

All right.

Sorry for the interruption.

No problem.

Please continue.

Council Number Burke.

Thank you so much.

This might be uh redundant, but if you'll go back to that slide, looking at, for example, the first one anchor, and we have two beside their application.

And on the next column, it says that they completed their application, but there's a not a number beside their name.

Probably should have been one there because they applied for two properties for funding, and we only awarded or allowed for one to be recommended for funding.

So the two was for the two properties on the left side.

On the right side was the one that was actually recommended for funding.

Okay.

Maybe I'm the only one that's a little bit.

No, yeah.

I understand what you're saying.

I understand what you all are saying.

Thank you.

Okay.

Continue, please.

We'll try to make that a little more understandable going forward.

Thank you.

All right.

Recommendations for multi multifamily.

There was anchor with one property.

This is a rental rehabilitation, 28 units, gateway residential development, 60 units, third wave housing, 62 units, TWG development, 148 units, and Wallach Asset Management.

350, over 350 units total, and 41 of those are under 30 percent AMI.

That is hard to read, but it shows what the amount of funding was requested and what is being recommended.

It shows the number of units, the number of under 30 units, the overall application score, the ward, and the site score.

And one thing about the site score is very localized, is not the North Carolina housing finance site score, which has to work all the way around in rural areas and urban areas throughout North Carolina is specific and very specific to the scoring matrix, which says if you got a site score under 35, you didn't receive any points.

And if you have site scores higher, you receive more points.

But anybody has any questions?

We had $6 million that was uh requested and are recommending $3.1 million.

Have any of these uh projects already received funding from the city?

Yes, they have.

And it's not listed on this matrix, correct?

No?

Not on that matrix, no.

I would there is actually in the notes, you do have um $2 million of home, for instance, for Wallach Asset Manager, which was Zachary Point.

That $2 million of home is still available.

Almost every project that got funded over the last couple of years is gonna need more money because of inflation.

The big bill that came out last year actually changed the tax credit sales prices.

It's down to about 8182 cents right now, which is not a very good number for tax credits, which is usually 70 percent of the entire funding of a project like this.

So they're almost all of them are coming back for additional funding.

Again, I've discussed this with staff.

This is where I stand on this.

It's no different than what we're gonna be seeing tomorrow about community agencies.

When you put together the project, I understand that inflation, cost of services, goods, I got it, uh, have changed.

But I also have a concern uh, and I've communicated this, that developers that keep coming back to the well, community agencies that keep coming back to the well.

How are we going to be able to allow based on our housing plan that we created to allow everybody to get in when possible, particularly newer people, newer projects?

I understand that.

And what I would ask that you do some kind of way, again, it may be difficult to read for the con the audience.

We have them on our uh iPad, the this matrix.

I would like to see any of these projects that have been submitted and approved by the housing coalition that have already received funding, and what that funding consisted of and the year that they were given that funding.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Sounds good.

Thank you.

Councilmember Burke.

You ask my question.

I asked your question.

Any other questions or concerns?

Mayor Joins.

Mike, how many of these are LATEX?

Well, Zachary Point has received their credits in 2025.

Um they they got that, so that's one.

And then um the Sage Point Apartments has this is their third try on this particular site.

They have a very competitive North Carolina Housing Finance Agency score.

There are only two in this county, so we think it will get funded this year.

Um, but you know, so there are two that uh, and then actually uh uh I'm sorry, Peters Creek received tax credits as well.

The others are projects were the million dollars.

Pardon the two large projects we're asking for the million dollars from us.

Those are tax credits.

Those are bonds.

The the um TWG development, for instance, course not Salem is going to be a tax exempt bond and a four percent uh buy right credit.

Okay.

Thank you.

Continue.

All right.

So the first is the this is an alphabetical order.

Um anchor uh, and this is actually they're applying for credits too, but it's not new construction credits, it's a rehabilitation credits, and and we have some of our applicants here in the audience.

So if there are any really specific questions about finance or anything like that, I would really like them to be able to give you their take on that.

Um they're applying for rehabilitation credits, and this funding right here should hopefully make them more competitive if somebody else is coming in and they've got city support.

That's why they requested it.

And it's 28 units, uh, elderly and recommended funding 130,000.

It basically a complete rebuild of the project.

Um you can see the old uh uh storage shed in the back there, all the interior basically redone, the exterior as well.

And there's a location right on the corner, uh Clemensville Road, Walltown Street.

Um, so it's right, you know, fairly visible location.

Gateway residential is Sage Point Apartments.

That's the one I said that's this is the third try in the same lot.

Um, but that's 60 units, uh, 10 10 one bedroom, three two bedroom, 23-bedroom, 10 pretty units, 10 percent of its units are set aside for mobility impaired or persons with disability or the unhoused population.

Income mix is between 30 and 70 percent.

Recommended funding funding, 610,000.

Um there's a location there.

Uh but uh I can never say this road.

I'm sorry.

I'm I've only been uh once in Salem for 13 years, and I cannot pronounce it.

But either way, Bathabora.

Yes, thank you.

Um in Indiana Avenue.

That's actually very close to the lofts at Indiana as well.

That's a nice design.

Um, and it uh we really do hope it gets its credit system around.

There you can see it a little better there.

Then this is 600 Peters Creek Apartments.

They're asking for 390,000.

It was just completed, it is in its uh final lease up at this point in time.

Um I think it's been a transformational project uh for this corner and this entryway into the downtown.

Um you know where it is right there.

Um moving on.

And we all of these are separate items.

So if there are any questions again, specifically, again, I think most of the developers are here.

Uh TWG development, Cornerstone Salem.

This is actually a really amazing project, in my opinion, 148 units.

Um they're trying to they'd like to do 60 percent AMI all the way through it, but they would do the affordable housing um uh ordinance with the 80, 50, and 30 and 35 percent um mid-market, but they said they'd like to just do 60 percent all the way through.

It just pencils out better for the property in general.

Um they're offering 200,000 for the conveyance.

Those are the lots right there.

Um you can see that they're landlocked.

Um, so they've made already outreach to the property owner that owns all the property of the large lots that surround it.

This project will actually allow for the development of those lots as well.

So this is uh a project that will actually be transformational for that that part of the downtown or uh of of um the city.

So um Zachary Point again received their credit, 60 units, um recommended funding one million.

This will get the project started, um, as far as I understand.

Um so that's something that would start getting units onto the ground quickly.

There's the site design, and then there's the location.

There's Peters Creek, Stafford Village Boulevard.

And then that's that's the multifamily.

Uh now for lots and single family, um, habitat, prosperity alliance, Williams Land Development.

That's actually been polled, is going to be polled from this agenda.

Um staff is going to have to work on um work on understanding the process better and bringing this back hopefully in May or June.

But this is the um breakdown of by lot essentially.

So you've got three grantees.

You've got a number of lots that are associated with that.

So million dollars requested for funding, $500,000 is what was available.

This is Habitat for Humanity, Urban Street Townhomes.

This is um where I think a church had been at one point that became an issue.

It was torn down.

Um they're gonna put 14 town homes.

Uh true homes is going to be the builder, along with uh Crosland Southwest.

There's the site design.

And then you've got the location, which is front and center.

I mean, I think it will be a nice addition to the neighborhood.

Prosperity Alliance and Happy Hill, you convey these lots to them last uh iteration of these RFPs.

They have requested uh 40,000.

We've offered $30,000 a unit to get them started.

They are ready to go.

They're be sold anywhere around $240 to $260, I believe.

So well within the affordability range for the 80 percent buyer.

Those are the actual site locations.

You can see most of them are on Alder.

Then you've got the community center right to the north of that.

So that'll actually, once those get up and run, get up and built, and once you start pulling into Happy Hill, there will finally be houses along that front section too on the main road going in.

So we'll skip by this one.

These are the lots, and that is the presentation.

So there are seven items then to I guess discuss if you want or to move to approve.

Any questions or comments?

Councilmember Jonah.

Uh Mr.

Blair, thank you so much.

I am excited about having units built, um, southward, southeast, and so forth.

It is a long time coming to get to another milestone to chew away at a very big bite.

Um I don't think we'll make it, but if we can keep chewing, when we we can make a uh a visible dent, livable dent in it.

So thank you so much for your effort.

Um thank you, Councilmember Jordan.

I mean Hall.

That's okay.

Thank you, Chairwoman Adams.

Mr.

Blair, thank you for your presentation.

Do you have a follow-up question based off of what Mayor Joins was asking?

I think it's particularly about Sage Point.

Um we talked about them having a pretty competitive score with the housing finance agency.

Um and I think there being maybe one of two um applicants in for Seph County.

Do we know when they'll probably hear news of whether or not they were successful?

August, yeah.

Oh, yeah, that is the day.

They're due on May 15th.

So that's why we're do this uh very quick process.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

That was my only question.

Councilmember Andre Bowen.

Thank you, Chair Adams.

Um, so I'm just here with a comment.

Um, I'm here to support the the flats on Peter Street Parkway um that is in the southwest ward and a quarter of a mile from my house.

They are literally my neighbors.

Um they have done uh amazing work there, and um they had some unforeseen uh misfortunes with Mother Nature and a giant rock and are coming back to ask for a a little bit extra help.

So I'm I I asked the the board here, the committee here to approve uh their ask.

Thank you.

Mr.

Blair, and I know that the county does county.

Uh just like on the uh community agencies, does the county do any of this at all?

Uh they do they have opportunities for developers to petition them like us?

Well, I think neighborhood services would they all have to be outside of the city.

I think neighborhood services would have to speak to that.

I think they have home dollars that they use outside of the city limits of Winston Salem, but I don't know.

They may be able to fund inside.

So the developer has an opportunity to petition within the city limits.

Okay.

Do we thank you?

Name, please.

Chantel McLean, I'm neighborhood services director.

So you're asking if for Sythe County, if some of these developers can actually go to the county commissioners and request funding.

And I believe that they they could, yes.

Absolutely.

Our city is within the county, so they absolutely could go and ask for funding.

But our dollars, we try to spend our dollars here in the city of Weston Salem.

Thank you.

Is there an opportunity for can you find out for the council whether any of these developers that put in these applications have appeal for funding from the county?

You don't have to tell us now, but it would be great if you could let us know via add it to the report or whatever uh before the uh council meeting.

They do have to get their own home allocation.

The county does get their own home allocation.

We get an allocation and they get one, and so they could appeal to the county for some funding.

And and yeah, and basically what I'm asking is to see if any of them, these developers have appealed or requested funding from the county.

Again, if if they're not doing that, we got to help them understand that they need to do that, and if they get turned down, we need to know that.

You know?

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

Thank you, Chantel.

Mr.

Blair, thank you.

Thank you to uh everything that the housing uh department is doing.

Thank you, ACM Wright.

Thank you, Ms.

McClain, all of you for this.

Again, that most of the folks don't know that we've had to build this team from the the bottom up with like two or three people in the department until uh what for the past year, two years we've been building it.

And uh I think you all are doing a great job.

So I just want you to know don't take it personal when we ask these questions.

Uh that's our job.

You know, you're doing your job, but we need to do ours as well, and that's to ask all the questions that we need to ask and have answered uh in order for us to move forward.

Uh I assume the clerk will be voting on these projects individually.

So would you call for the question of the first item, please?

Thank you.

Item G4A, resolution authorizing permanent financing for the rehabilitation of 28 affordable rental units for elderly residents at Vespers apartments located in the Southeast Ward.

All those in I need a motion.

Make a motion to approve for approval.

It's been moved and promptly seconded by Councilmember Jordan, seconded by Councilmember Burke.

Please vote electronically.

And the motion passes.

Next item, please.

Item G4B resolution authorizing permanent financing for the development of 60 affordable rental units known as Sage Point Apartments located in the North Ward.

Motion.

So moved.

Second.

It's been moved and promptly seconded by Councilmember Jorna, seconded by Councilmember Hall.

All those in favor, let it be known by saying yes.

All those opposed, vote no.

And the motion passes.

I have a motion.

Motion to approve.

Second.

It's been moved and properly seconded by Councilmember Jorna, seconded by Councilmember Hall.

All those please vote by saying yes or no.

And motion passes.

Item G4D resolution authorizing permanent financing for the development of 148 affordable rental units known as Cornerstone at Salem, located in the Southeast Ward.

Move to approve.

Second.

It's been moved and approved by Councilmember Hall, seconded by Councilmember Jordan.

All those please vote yes or no, like signed.

Next, please.

Item G4E, resolution authorizing permanent financing for the development of 60 affordable rental units known as Zachary Point Apartments located in the South Ward.

Make a motion to approve.

Second.

It's been moved and properly seconded by Councilmember Jorna, seconded by Councilmember Burke.

All those voting yes and like signed if no.

The motion passes.

Item G4F, resolution authorizing conveyance of one lot and permanent financing for the development of 14 affordable homeownership units by Habitat for Humanity for Scythe located in the Southeast Ward.

Move to approve.

Second.

Moved and properly.

The motion has been approved by Councilmember Hall, seconded by Councilmember Jorna.

All those in favor, please vote yes and no, like sign.

And the motion passes.

Item G4G, resolution authorizing permanent financing for the development of eight affordable homeownership units in Happy Hill by Prosperity Alliance, located in the East Ward.

Mr.

Blair has said that we're pulling this one.

No?

The next one.

G A 4H?

Okay, this was good.

May I have a motion for the motion to approve, please?

Second.

It's been moved and promptly seconded by Councilmember Journey, seconded by Councilmember Burke.

All those in favor, please let your votes be known.

And the motion passes.

So we don't do anything for 4H.

Mayor Pertam, I would suggest just go ahead and continue this to your May 11th meeting as well.

Okay.

Move to continue item G4H to the May 11th committee of the whole meeting.

I second that.

It's been moved properly seconded by Councilmember Jo Hall, seconded by Councilmember Jorna.

All those approved, vote yes, like sign or no.

Okay.

And the motion passes.

Is that it?

Is that it?

We adjourned.