By Jessica Dillon
Residents of the Five Points neighborhood, joined by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), are calling on city officials to address concerns including unpaved roads, drainage problems, speeding traffic, parking issues and structural damage to homes.
Resident J Brimmer previously appeared before Martinsville City Council seeking help with the issues, but residents and NAACP representatives returned to council chambers to again push for repairs and traffic enforcement.
During the meeting, Naomi Muse-Hodge, president of the local NAACP chapter, and Kim Glisson addressed council about ongoing concerns in the neighborhood. Among the issues discussed were foundation problems in homes and speeding traffic on West Church Street, where a vehicle has previously struck a house.
Residents also raised concerns about limited parking, especially for handicapped individuals, a protruding manhole cover, drainage issues and damage to vehicles caused by unpaved roads.
Repair estimates for homes reportedly range from $2,000 to $10,000. Residents also submitted a petition signed by more than 50 percent of neighborhood residents to meet Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) requirements related to traffic concerns.
“Can you imagine having to pay 30 to 38 years for a home that won’t last 10? That’s cruel,” Muse-Hodge said. “You got people who have refrigerators that won’t stay closed. The refrigerator won’t stay closed. The doors won’t close correctly. The floors are buckling. So I’m asking you, and I know money is tight, but to make a commitment to fix this.”
Muse-Hodge asked the city to work with VDOT to stop trucks from using Church Street to Massey Street and to begin remediation work on the homes.
“Even if you can’t do it all at once, but by quarters, you can get them done,” she said. “And it should not have to be something that these people, who are already low income trying to make their house payments, should have to get a lawyer for.”
City Manager Rob Fincher said the city is taking residents’ concerns seriously.
“The city is committed to working collaboratively with the homeowners and assist in coordinating communication with VDOT and advocating for a thorough review of the situation to determine appropriate next steps,” Fincher said.
Council member Aaron Rawls said after the meeting he visited the homes.
“A sad situation made all the more depressing when we reflect on it,” Rawls said. “This outcome was utterly avoidable. Rules, warnings and a lot of good advice were all ignored in the creation of this mess. I feel terrible for the folks who are stuck with these properties.”
Mayor LC Jones said he believes the city, the Harvest Foundation, Nationwide Homes, and all involved “genuinely aimed to create a community of affordable homes when it was desperately needed. Sadly, politics intervened, and the project was halted far short of its original vision. In hindsight, it’s hard to say whether that was a wise decision and how much it has contributed to the current struggles.”
Noting that he “was working closely with residents from the Five Points community before my untimely suspension” in February, Jones said the city’s public works director and city manager “also communicated with them and had developed a schedule for addressing some of the current issues.”
He is encouraged “to see the NAACP become more actively involved in community issues, especially regarding residents’ housing conditions. I sincerely hope this isn’t exploited as a political tool by anyone, but rather a genuine effort,” Jones said.
“We must unite with all community partners to confront these challenges, including the dire situation at Northview Gardens Apartments, where many residents still live in deplorable conditions without necessities such as running water, a functioning refrigerator, heating, or air conditioning,” he added.
Vice Mayor Kathy Lawson said the city has been working to resolve some of the concerns.
“There are issues. The city has been working to resolve some of those issues,” Lawson said. “We had to wait for the gas company to move the gas line before they could install some drainage equipment.”
Lawson said the city plans to install curbing and pave the area this summer.
“There are a lot of things that we aren’t aware of, that the council wasn’t told when this project was started,” she said.
“You have to get all the partners on the same page,” Lawson added.
Brimmer said he remains frustrated with the pace of progress.
“Nothing’s been done, the traffic is still flying,” Brimmer said.
He said he contacted the police department and Virginia State Police to complain about speeding.
“It’s a shame that we pay tax money to this police department that does nothing to serve us,” he said.
Brimmer said the stormwater drain project has been completed, but he remains concerned about parking and future development in the area.
“The city is doing nothing but hurting us,” he said. “They surely haven’t done anything to fix any issues.”
He also criticized no-parking signs recently installed in the area.
“Where are they supposed to park when we don’t have anywhere to park?” Brimmer asked.
Brimmer said he contacted the NAACP earlier this year and filed a complaint.
Glisson said the organization submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records related to the development and sale of the homes.
The group also wants the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to conduct a traffic study in the area.
“Any city or local government can, at their discretion, make exceptions to standard practices and procedures as long as it passes through their city council with a majority vote,” Glisson said. “We have actually provided the petition to the city manager for the VDOT engineering survey.”
Glisson said residents were previously directed to the city attorney regarding damages.
“At this point, our ask is that we all collectively work together to understand how quickly we can secure the safety of these homes, secure handicap access, and on-street parking that was promised to them when they purchased the home,” she said.
Glisson also said residents were not fully informed about warranties when purchasing the homes.
The NAACP said it wants all parties involved to work together to address current problems, prevent future damage and improve conditions for homeowners.
Council members Julian Mei and Rayshaun Gravely did not respond to requests for comment.
