Greensboro's Smith Homes Demolition...Missed Opportunity? (Charlotte, Raleigh: neighborhood, income, affordable housing)
Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High PointThe Triad Area
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This is a bit of a vent, but a little while ago I noticed the Smith Homes neighborhood was being torn down. I thought "What a great opportunity. I wonder what will replace it?" only to find out, they're just going to rebuild them. If this was Charlotte or Raleigh, housing projects being torn down would mean something better was being built in their place. I understand the need for affordable housing and I'm not insensitive to the conditions of potential displaced residents, but at this point we have decades of data that show housing projects just don't work. They're bad for cities and not good for the residents either. They become islands or poverty and crime.
The city hit a home run with their Willow Oaks development which replaced the old Morningside Homes housing project. That neighborhood was once the most notorious "hood" in Greensboro. Now its a mixed income neighborhood with better architecture and housing options for various income levels. The precedent was set. Something like that at the Smith Homes site would've been such an upgrade. I can't help but think this was a big missed opportunity.
Has anyone seen the plans for the Smith Homes redevelopment? All I can find are the words “major redevelopment with 400 affordable units.” But I’m curious what they’ll look like.
This is a bit of a vent, but a little while ago I noticed the Smith Homes neighborhood was being torn down. I thought "What a great opportunity. I wonder what will replace it?" only to find out, they're just going to rebuild them. If this was Charlotte or Raleigh, housing projects being torn down would mean something better was being built in their place. I understand the need for affordable housing and I'm not insensitive to the conditions of potential displaced residents, but at this point we have decades of data that show housing projects just don't work. They're bad for cities and not good for the residents either. They become islands or poverty and crime.
The city hit a home run with their Willow Oaks development which replaced the old Morningside Homes housing project. That neighborhood was once the most notorious "hood" in Greensboro. Now its a mixed income neighborhood with better architecture and housing options for various income levels. The precedent was set. Something like that at the Smith Homes site would've been such an upgrade. I can't help but think this was a big missed opportunity.
Do you think there is a chance this could be a Willow Oaks type development?
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