Amid Talk Of Sale, Advocates Push For City To Fund Repairs To Crystal Towers Instead

Housing advocates met with Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines Tuesday to demand repairs be made to Crystal Towers apartments.

The tenants' organization, Crystal Towers United, is asking that the city fund needed work to the public housing building. The group says the repairs will cost approximately $7 million over 20 years. According to advocates, a petition in support of the proposal has been signed by over 2,000 community members.

It comes at a time when the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem has been discussing selling the building which currently houses many low-income and disabled residents in downtown.

Prior to meeting with Joines, housing advocate Dan Rose said Crystal Towers should not be sold.

“The building does need repairs," he says. "And the city has the money to do it. The American Rescue Plan gave them $55 million and they need to spend it on this building as part of the affordable housing picture in Winston-Salem.”

A sale requires approval from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and support from the City of Winston-Salem.