Low Income Housing Prompts Cary Controversary, Village Board Meeting Tonight

It’s 8 AM today at a Cary real estate office.

The Realtor is expecting a visitor.

A man walks in and the Realtor greets him.

“You must be (name withheld)?”

“No I’m (another person).  Based on what I see going on in this town with the low income housing that was just approved I want to put my house on the market before this town collapses.”

What was the man talking about?

A 60-unit apartment complex on First Street.

Two weeks ago a new web site popped up called “Cary Matters.”

You can see the plan for the complex , which is posted on the web site, below:

The First Street apartment development in question.

The First Street apartment development in question.

Next to it is an invitation to sign a petition to “Oppose Ordinance #O 14-16-01 to build Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) apartments in Cary.”

464 had signed the petition to the Cary Village Board when I captured this image.

464 had signed the petition to the Cary Village Board when I captured this image.

Name, address, email and a place where one can leave a personal comment is under a counter that tells how many people have signed the petition.

When one clicks on the prompt, the following letter appears:

The Cary Village Board recently voted 4-2 in favor of building a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) apartment complex at 225 North First St.  The Ordinance #O 14-16-01, gives Pedcor Companies the ability to develop the empty lot next to Oak Knoll Apartments.

This apartment complex will undoubtedly increase strain on current homeowners and community resources.

Despite overwhelming resident opposition, Mayor Kownick voiced that there was simply not enough opposition to this plan.

Tell the Mayor and his friends on the Village Board, that this development is not needed and does nothing to benefit the residents of Cary.

We need to stop this development now before it leads to increased property taxes, decreased home values, and a hamstrung school system.

Stop the Mayor’s fast tracked development plans.

The letter is short:

Reverse your decision to build low income apartments in Cary

It is addressed to those who apparently voted for the development and the developer:

  • Mayor Kownick, Mayor
  • David Chapman, Village Trustee
  • Robert Bragg, Village Trustee
  • Bruce Kaplan, Village Trustee
  • Duane Dudek, Village Trustee
  • Bruce Cordingley, CEO Pedcor

The web site says that yard signs have been order.

Below that are comments from residents.  You can read the ones posted by 9 AM Tuesday, July 1, 2014, here.

The issue is not on the agenda for the Village Board meeting that starts at 7:30, but the Trustees do allow people to comment at the beginning of the meeting.  (Some boards make people wait until the much later in the meeting…after all the significant decisions have been made.)

Here is how this opportunity is listed on the agenda:

Open Forum

The public is invited to make an issue-oriented comment on any matter of public concern not otherwise on the agenda.


Comments

Low Income Housing Prompts Cary Controversary, Village Board Meeting Tonight — 7 Comments

  1. Too late to be gathering signatures.

    The very second opposition starts to get serious, expect any Fair Housing Agency to get involved and sue.

    A town I had put an offer on a property and subsequently withdrew, after I found out a Fair Housing suit was in play.

    That ten year battle was just concluded, costing the town millions in legal fees and a just completed 70 unit loser magnet.

    Poor folk in Cary, you have my condolenses.

  2. Nice ignorant comment, D.J.

    I lived for 13 years in such a ‘loser magnet’- you may be surprised to learn that the elderly, young couples with children, and people just like me may live there as well.

    Now I earn more money, live in a house that is completely paid for, and have zero debt.

    Can you say the same?

  3. Yea Lovaas nice accomplishment.

    You mean I “completely paid” for your house.

    Give me 13 years on the dole and I’d own your whole block.

    But If you want to ‘surprise’ me, add up your 13 year entitlement and cut the Taxpayers of this county back a check, Mr. “zero debt”.

    Funny how many have your mindset.

  4. I should sell my house too before this town turns into the slums.

  5. How terrible for Cary.

    The taxes are already so high.

    It’s going to be a ghetto ghost town soon.

    Then the village will have to hire a lot of law enforcement and there will be empty properties from people leaving behind their decreased valued homes.

    Very sad.

    I hope the politicians who voted in favor of it live at the complex and show everyone how great it is!

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