The Greensboro City Council is holding a work session on Thursday, Jan. 25 and the status of the old Regency Inn property is included in the presentation on housing policy initiatives.
The presentation on the “Status of Regency Development Site” states:
“• City project is not affected by Step Up development partner issues in other areas
“• Rising costs and interest rates have pushed per unit rehab costs close to new construction
“• Site has capacity of additional and better quality units if changed to new construction development
“• Downside is the additional time necessary for new construction”
While all the discussion appears to be about Step Up On Second taking over the site, the property is currently owned by Partnership Homes. The city’s original partner in the development of this site.
City Councilmember Zack Matheny, who talks about the need for the city to start taking action to deal with the homeless population in the city at nearly every City Council meeting, sent a number of questions about the old Regency Inn site by email earlier in the week to Director of the Housing and Neighborhood Development Michelle Kennedy, fellow members of the City Council and other city staff.
One of Matheny’s questions was, “How many days has the city had $3 million invested in the Regency Inn since the beginning? As a follow up, how many days has the property housed the unsheltered and how many days has it sat empty?”
Kennedy responded, “Deed was recorded on November 19, 2021. It opened less than two weeks later for winter shelter. Two seasons of winter shelter were provided on site spanning the months of November to March each year. In 2023, we ran an extension period through May.”
Matheny responded, “That does not answer the question. Will you please let us know how many days the property was in operation and thus how many days it has remained empty.”
More wasted time and tax dollars. Excuses out the wazoo. This mess is DOA with a council wanting to throw money at it so they can feel good. Your vote and you better consider how you want to use it.
I looks like nothing has been done for three years, except talk and pay for site. Zack askes some very important questions, and I am sure he will never get the answers he is asking for and the point he is trying to make. Again the taxpayers and I stress TAXPAYERS are getting the run around to please the warm and fuzzy feelers.
Sounds like another boondoggle brewing. Plus, I wonder what is the value to involving Step Up on Second? I see from their website they are a national entity based in CA and you can donate. Seems to me their should be enough resources, knowledge and capability between the city, county and local building community to manage our own projects. Samet, Carroll Companies, etc.
Talk talk talk. That’s all the council does. While they talk costs go up to the point this project is turning out to be a joke. I still think it’s a good idea for the council to “TALK” on the courthouse steps. Maybe light a few fires under them.
If the occupants have no skin in the game, they will trash it. Everyone knows that. Our govt is to be detested.
They are not doing this well, either. We had a chance to vote them out of office a while back, but no one bothered to vote. Thus, the end of our Republic.
Speaking of empty, the PART buses seem to have 1 or 2 riders per trip to W-S etc. would it be less expensive to just buy a car for these few riders ?
Name something our govt does well. They install a feel-good program, and then forget about it. “Hey, we tried!” Maybe you an untry some of these things. But, then again, name something our govt does well.
I’m not going to say anyone is stretching the truth but I’m pretty sure no one was housed there in any months of 2023. I’m not sure about 2022. Maybe Ms. Kennedy misspoke
Keep asking those questions Councilman Matheny! This site is the wrong site. This has been a huge waste of time and money and has made fools of our City and Council!
If my math is correct, total days in possession thus far is 730, occupied 238 days, and empty for 552, give or take.
If the city wants to be sure the project gets completed. In a timely fashion, they need to hire a reputable, local general contractor, then get out of the way and get the project completed. Keeping the money in the community, jobs in the community, and taking the majority of the risk out of the equation. They can then sell it to Slate, Step Up On Second, or someone else to own and manage. Rarely do these last-minute, “we have to do it tonight or lose it” deals work out and they need to stop getting snookered into this over and over and over.