Goshen residents say they weren't consulted about it, don't fully understand it and, regardless, don't want it.
They have a message for Augusta commissioners: Keep "neighborhood stabilization" stimulus money out of our neighborhood.
At a question-and-answer session with developers and city officials in commission chambers Tuesday, Fred Ogden, past president of the Goshen Residents Homeowners Association, said they were blind-sided last month by news that the city had applied for federal funds to restart the stalled Village at Goshen development. According to city documents, $21 million of a $50 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development application is for their middle-class golf course community, where houses sell for about $100,000 and up.
"It's painful for us to even deal with this, as a concept," Mr. Ogden said.
Commissioners have gripes of their own. Housing and Community Development Director Chester Wheeler and City Administrator Fred Russell were trying to make an application deadline and had an eleventh-hour scramble to line up developers with bank backing willing to take on projects within HUD-approved census tracts. Not wanting the city to miss out on a chance at the funds, Mr. Russell said, they submitted the application to Washington without commission approval and asked the board to ratify it afterward.
"The young man said that you were blind-sided," Commissioner J.R. Hatney said. "Don't feel bad."
Resident Becky Shealy asked whether the application could be recalled and rewritten.
"Not based on what I've been told," Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Mason said, "and I've been told very little."
Goshen residents expressed fears that the stimulus money could change their neighborhood demographics. They asked questions about subsidized mortgages and Section 8 housing and pointed out that the application includes bus transportation for people who don't have automobiles.
Mr. Wheeler assured them that Section 8 is out of the question, that the homes to be built would be for sale, not for rent. Meybohm Realtors Executive Vice President Bill Boatman said the plan is to build detached, single-family homes selling for between $130,000 and $200,000. Buyers would have to be credit-worthy, and the only help they might get through HUD would be down payment assistance.
"The target market would be just like any other market for homes in this price range," Mr. Boatman said.
Meybohm would be the selling agent. The developer would be Atlanta-based E.R. Mitchell & Co., and the financier would be Capital City Bank & Trust, the company that backed previous Village at Goshen developer Henry Forero, who at one time planned to build condominiums, townhomes and a hotel. Only 14 townhomes went up before the project collapsed.
What's being proposed now is far less dense than what would have gone up under Mr. Forero's plan, Mr. Boatman pointed out.
Resident Billy Wingate complained that there were nearly $57,000 in unpaid taxes on the property and that it was due to be sold on the courthouse steps a few weeks ago, but the bank seems to have prevented that.
"I wish somebody'd come and see me like that," he said.
"I understand that," Commissioner Joe Bowles said, "but the money is there, and the question is, do we want to bring this money into our community?"
"No," Mr. Wingate said.
"Not under this plan," Mr. Ogden said.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Another reason to get the heck out of Richmond County. Several friends have sold and moved to North Augusta to get out of Goshen. There goes the neighborhood.
Something smells really fishy about the whole thing
I can't believe Bill Boatright said.. "...the plan is to build detached, single-family homes selling for between $130,000 and $200,000. Buyers would have to be credit-worthy, and the only help they might get through HUD would be down payment assistance." Isn't this approach exactly what got us in the trouble we're in now? People buying houses they can't afford. Trust me... if you can't afford the down payment you can't afford the house. It's insane. Further more, if you can't affoed a car you can't afford the house. Is Meybohm and others really this greedy? Wake up and smell the coffee people!
That's right. Not in my neighborhood. That's the spirit.
How about they build it on "the hill" or at Westlake. Sound good Mr. Bowles?
IMO The question is "WHO owns the land that will be used. Who will profit by this". Yes, something is fishy, and it smells rotten.
Always...follow the money. In this case, start first by going backward, not forward.
So, you people would rather have a half-built project in your community (good for property values!) and properties sold on the courthouse steps, if I'm reading this correctly (that's what would have happened had there not been an intervention of some sort, so I assume that's what would wind up happening again). You're afraid of government money invested in your neighborhood. You're afraid the wrong element might move in. You're afraid, you're afraid, you're afraid. Well, good. Pass that money along to someplace else where the people don't have their heads up their azzes.
TechLover Westlake is not in RC.LOL
Goshen is not that great of a neighborhood anyway. Look at those run down apartments and existing townhomes. One would think that residents would want new homes built and to see the area thrive. Changing the demographics can be a good thing, if done properly.Chances are that wont happen in that area. They are like the "redneck version of Westlake", the just dont have a gate.
They could use that money on the hill. That is a good idea Mr. Tech. There are a lot of other neighborhoods that could really benefit from the money, not just to add more houses, but to actually improve areas that already have houses. It is a novel idea. The area between Wheeler and Henry, plenty of places on Central Ave, there are a ton of areas that could use this money. As people move out there is no reason to build more houses, just fix up the ones that are already here, or tear them down and build newer more efficient onese. But keep you stimulus stained hands off my 1920s house, it is already built to higher standards than most of the cookie cutter houses you see today.
What gets me is, the city is willing to blind-side any neighborhood without so much as a discussion about it. Seems to me, our government officials in this city are acting like Congress.
All it would take to end this is a vote in the Commission. If six commissioners say NO, the project will be dead. What is taking them so long to vote? I presume that Jimmy Smith will side with the homeowners, and the five black commissioners are supposedly "livid" about Fred (What, me worry?) Russell's sneak attack. That makes six. Go ahead and vote already.
Hotfoot..You have heard it before..."Be afraid, be very afraid".
property owners are trying to protect what reputation they still have. The location "south augusta" hurts enough without bringing in new folks who can afford $130,000 for a home but can't buy a car...ride a shuttle, transfer to a city bus. Sounds like fun, eh?
I agree with reesiecup. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that some hoodlums from the Goshen area destroyed golf carts and the course? The demographic is already there and has been for some time now. I remember from my days with RCSO. But if you live with your head in the sand, as it sounds like many Goshen residents do, you wouldn't notice whats going on around you.
Besides who wants to move out there anyway and deal with the death trap that is Mike Padgett Hwy South of Old Waynesboro?
Take that money and get Kroger to open up out there, I would shop there always, and some good restaurants but no Walmart!
That's real intelligent, MJDW. You want to use HUD money to build a Kroger. You need to run against John Barrow in 2010. I'm sure you'll win with a platform like that.
This guy Russell can't seem to follow instructions. Where is the planning skills? Time management skills? How do these deadline appear without proper discussions, unless he steers these items away from the commissioners' eyes until the deadline is near. Thats a tricky approach to management but keeps everyone off-balance and in a reactive mode. The commissioners are not mentally agile enough to recognize what he is doing...they just know something is wrong. And the Goshen residents don't want the dolars...thats not the story. The story is the failure of the city manager to get those funds into the city's budget. Who cares about those whose ignorance is being used to sound conservative.
Way to go Goshen, don't blame you. Wouldn't want section 8 neighbors either!
Augvoter, were the perps from goshen???
Techlover, I live on the same road as a housing project (Olmstead Homes) less than 1,200 yards away. I will put the property values of the houses between my home and the project against any other in the city.
This sir, is not a section 8 project.
Some of you just don't get it. You have to make everything a racial or class thing and that stunts your ability to think and simply allows you to "assume". The government is not our benevolent uncle who wishes to bestow upon us funds without wanting something in return. That is why you frequently see only one issue addressed, if at all, while others are lurking silently in the background. That is why things get pushed through in such a hurry. That is why we are right to question those who would represent the people. Does that sound like representation to you? If so, you may be the number one candidate for head potentate in your area with the ability to lead those who blithely follow. Surely no thinking person would.
Goshen is a good distance from downtown Augusta. Would bus service this far out even make sense? I think cockytiger said it best: "if you can't afford the down payment you can't afford the house. It's insane. Further more, if you can't afford a car you can't afford the house. Is Meybohm and others really this greedy? Wake up and smell the coffee people!" One of Fred Russell's comments was that he would hate to see Augusta miss out on 60mil. in stimulus finds, and isn't Capital City Bank a minority owned bank? Wouldn't their focus be on helping minorities get into those houses? Wake up and smell the coffee people!
I moved out of South Augusta because the schools are already run down and not up to standard. If they build HUD homes out there then not only will the homes go down in value, the schools will suffer even more also!!!!
I lived in Goshen when it was considered a upper class neighborhood. At that time it was very nice, in the 70's. We moved because of the odor, it always smelled like rotten eggs there.
Richmond County needs to repeal consolidation!
Great post Brenda G. Our elected officials on the local, state, and federal have forgotten who they represent and who they work for. They are so out of touch with the people and so corrupt and so inept it is pathetic. They all need to be voted out.
Good job Commissioner Jimmy Smith. Keep thinking you know what is best for us without asking and election time we will show you what is best for you.
I have Section 8 housing in my neighborhood, it came in about 4 years ago. We can't wait to get out. The thugs are all over now, it's getting more and more dangerous by the day. I have nothing but sympathy for those people.
Let me respond to Joe Bowles' comment above. Commissioner Bowles says the Village at Goshen is not a Section 8 project. Perhaps now there are no plans to rent to people with Section 8 vouchers. But after the homes are built, the owners can rent them out to Section 8 voucher holders if they jump through the paperwork hoops with the Housing Authority. No one can prevent a homeowner from renting to Section 8 voucher holders as long as proper procedures are followed.