Winston-Salem City Council agrees to finance affordable housing project, despite concerns

Winston-Salem City Council approved financing for a new affordable housing project for the city’s Northeast Ward on Monday, despite pushback from the councilmember who represents that area. 

Council agreed to spend $290,000 to help finance a project to convert two single-family homes off Old Greensboro Road into three affordable housing units, with an additional nine to be built on the property. 

Councilmember Barbara Hanes Burke expressed concerns about the new development, saying it’s in an isolated location far from public transportation or grocery stores. While there are public bus stops located nearby, the area is classified as a food desert by the USDA. She also said her constituents think the housing dollars should be used to address other priorities. 

“I'm asking that if we are going to use any housing dollars that the city has, I am asking that we use these dollars to address the blight, to build new houses on vacant lots, to address vacant, abandoned houses that are nuisance attractors in our community, to rehabilitate homes," said Burke. 

Councilmembers Burke, John Larson, and James Taylor all voted against the proposal. But the rest of the council disagreed, and the proposal passed 5-3. 

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to provide additional context to Councilmember Barbara Hanes Burke's comments.