10/19/21

Dear Friend:

Horrific. Even that word is insufficient to describe the fire in 2018 that killed five children at the Summit-Cone Apartments.  I and many housing advocates believe it was the culmination of a long series of code violations which saw the apartment’s owners (Arco) amass over $682,000 in unpaid fines.

In 2019 Mayor Vaughan held a press conference declaring the violations were “something that we’re facing with this landlord on an everyday basis” and “enough is enough.” 

What happened next is the subject of a News & Record editorial, “The City Talks Tough but then it Backs Down.”   

I certainly agree with this headline.  In contrast to the very public statement in 2019, the settlement (which the Mayor attributed to city staff being unable to locate some documents) went without public comment.  As the News & Record put it, “Now here we are, two years later, with a lame settlement and even lamer excuses…The city’s kid-gloves approach to Arco makes you wonder how much of that tough talk was real and how much was hot air.”

Picture is from YES Weekly article ‘Misplaced evidence’ caused City of Greensboro to settle with Arco

I was against the settlement and voiced my opposition to Council.  I believed the City should have gone to court to enforce the fines—not only to get the money that was owed to the City, but because it was the right thing to do.

I believe leadership isn’t about tough talk in front of the cameras.  It’s about standing by principles and being open when mistakes are made.

Transparency and Accountability– That’s the kind of leadership I will provide Greensboro.  Substance over Symbolism.

For Our Future,