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Wilmington resident urges council to address housing closures, gentrification and homelessness
Summary
In public comment, resident Tony Dunn urged council to involve residents in decisions about housing, criticized the closing of subsidized housing by Wilmington Housing Authority and asked council to work with regional agencies to address homelessness and gentrification.
During the public comment period at Thursday’s meeting, Wilmington resident Tony Dunn urged council members to involve neighborhood residents in decisions about housing, mental health services and violence prevention.
“My name is Tony Dunn from the Second District of Wilmington,” he told council. “We need city council to let us help you help us.” Dunn said council must consult residents when making decisions that affect housing and neighborhood stability and specifically criticized the Wilmington Housing Authority for closing a subsidized housing community, which he said increased homelessness in his neighborhood.
Dunn said the city should work closely with the mayor’s office, the Wilmington Housing Authority and Section 8 administrators to pursue rehabilitation of existing housing that residents can occupy and to ensure that local people have opportunities to participate in repairs and rehabs. “Gentrification in our area is serious,” he said, and he asked that council “let us help you help us.”
Council President Trippie Congo acknowledged the comment and moved on to the next scheduled speakers. The public record contains no formal response or motion tied to Dunn’s remarks in this meeting; council members later discussed education and budget items unrelated to the specific housing actions Dunn described.
