Asheville mayor on McCormick Heights: more than drugs

Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy says that a handful of problems — including changing market needs and failures in promotion, management and maintenance — and not just crime led to the breakdown of the McCormick Heights housing project.

In the wake of the city’s aborted plan to purchase the property, Bellamy has responded to e-mails from Council member Carl Mumpower, who has maintained that a lack of law enforcement crippled the ability to rent apartments in the 100-unit complex.

Mumpower’s thoughts, sent in several e-mails, drew missives from Bellamy, who told him, via e-mail: “Facts do not cease to exist because you choose to ignore them.”

“To ignore the fact that there were other realities impacting the dramatic change in the number of residents in McCormick Heights is insane,” Bellamy added.

The topic is scheduled for discussion at Council’s meeting today (April 10). The complete agenda for the meeting can be found here.

In the the e-mail exchange, which took place over the course of a week, Mumpower declares, “I will no longer be patient in the face of hollow words which betray the facts, camouflage our leadership failure, and pay lip service to the progressive risk of existing affordable housing resources due to drug crime and other serious safety concerns.” His assertions drew outside criticism from the faith-based community, including the Rev. Keith Ogden, senior pastor of Hill Street Baptist Church.

In an e-mail, Ogden accused Mumpower of promoting himself as “some great white hope for the community of African Americans, to promote your own self interest.”

The extensive e-mail chain is presented below in (as close as we can tell) consecutive order.

— Brian Postelle, staff writer

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-Memo-
   
Friday, March 30, 2007
     
Dear Mayor Bellamy and Mr. Jackson,

      Thank you for the update memorandums received today on the city’s involvement in the intended purchase of McCormick Heights.  Per recent closed session discussion I am aware and in support of the reasons for the Council’s decision to step away from the earlier vote to purchase this property.
     
      I have continuing concern with the expenditure of $120,000 of our very limited Federal Community Development Block Grant monies to transition residents from this development prematurely.  In addition to the question of more productive uses for these funds, I believe that the Council’s poorly researched decision to purchase this property has resulted in the unnecessary transit of residents from viable housing at McCormick Heights and prematurely weakened our pool of available community affordable housing resources.
     
      Whereas the staff can be commended for, in the final hour, noting property restrictions that would have likely resulted in the loss of millions of city tax dollars, the lack of due diligence and caution prior to the Council’s vote have resulted in significant misuse of staff time and a minimum depletion of $120,000 in direct dollars.
     
      It would be my position that the primary reason for the loss of a housing development upon which millions of dollars were spent on renovations less than 10 years ago has been our failure to support public safety in that development.  The Council has demonstrated misguided enthusiasm by stepping around this direct responsibility with the hopes of building a new development on the McCormick Heights site.  The result been an expensive and embarrassing outcome that has placed the residents in further distress, accelerated the loss of good housing stock, and unnecessarily wasted limited resources.
     
      I would be amiss if I did not suggest that there should be accountability in this matter.
     
      Sincerely,
     
      Carl Mumpower
      Asheville City Council

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In a message dated 4/3/2007 9:41:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Mumpower writes:
         
      Dear Mayor,
     
      Yesterday it was reported that there had been a “leak” referencing the Council’s change of course on it’s earlier decision to purchase McCormick Heights.  Less there be any confusion, I wanted to clarify that I in fact freely disclosed this information openly to the media this past Friday and probably, on reflection, waited longer than I should have.  Although the decision by the Council to not purchase this property had been made in closed session some weeks ago, the first staff reports were received on Friday.  The apparent effort to avoid or delay a timely formal announcement and subsequent actions to minimize our failure was and is my prompt.
     
      As we have discussed, I believe the earlier decision by the Council majority to purchase the McCormick Heights property was at the wrong time (premature and poorly researched) and for the wrong reasons (this development failed due to our failure to uphold safety in the development and effectively address drug and other criminal activity vs. cited secondary issues).
     
      That said, Council is entitled to make mistakes.  We are not, however, entitled to freely spin or otherwise conceal those mistakes.  Our actions around McCormick Heights have created significant confusion for the residents of that development, clouded the future of this important affordable housing resource, and resulted in budgeted expense of $120,000 and significant staff time.  It is not my wish to dwell on criticism of the Council’s actions – it is my wish that we give consideration to our collective accountabilities in this matter and the need to address our methodologies and staff procedures going forward.  Institutional accountability, maturity, and growth rarely occurs within the constraint of darkness.
     
      As regards our handling of the McCormick Heights project, allow me to share that a meat processor can grind up a cow’s behind and call it a hotdog – but that doesn’t mean it’s right.
     
      Carl Mumpower
      Asheville City Council
     
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April 6th, 2007

From:  Carl Mumpower

To:      Mayor Bellamy

Subj:    Loss of McCormick Heights Development to Drug Crime

It is my understanding that yourself, Mr. Gene Bell of the Housing Authority, and Mr. Ken Maxwell of Progress energy have each independently stressed that drugs and crime were not the primary factor in the loss of McCormick Heights as an affordable housing resource in Asheville.

I wanted to publicly share with each of you my disappointment in your respective willingness to minimize the realities at this development and contribute to the fog and failure that helped corrupt this resource.  Anyone having reasonable hands on exposure to McCormick Heights would be keenly aware of the persisting safety issues that were the central factor in low occupancy rates and the financial loses that made the project unsustainable.

This development was not a slum.  A majority of the units were recently remodeled and reasonably maintained.  The persisting drug crime, vandalism by homeless vagrants, and thug activities created a social atmosphere whereby law abiding citizens (those most likely to pay their rent and contribute to the viability of the development) were not willing to live there except by temporary necessity.  Reflections on inspector failures, exotic development plans, and generalized hand wringing represent distractions from the realities that command more sincere attentions.

It is precisely this level of denial and spin by people in positions of authority and leadership that are contributing to our collective failure to police and protect our at risk neighborhoods and affordable housing resources.

It is not my wish to be critical for criticisms sake.  My primary concern is with the harms that lie before us.  Most of our other dedicated affordable housing resources are suffering from the same malady as McCormick Heights.  Focusing on a cold when the patient has cancer insures a harmful eventual outcome to the patient.  A continued manipulation of the facts around the loss of McCormick Heights will impair our ability to stop the loss of other developments through similar causes.

We are on a slippery slope with most of our public housing resources.  Occupancy rates, unsustainable revenue cycles, and safety concerns are united harms.  An emphasis on rule enforcement, effective policing, and hands on social interventions are necessary if we are going to intercept this destructive process. Hollow words that betray the truth will also betray our future.

Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council

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From: MayorBellamy@ashevillenc.gov
To: drmumpower@aol.com; ken.maxwell@pgnmail.com; gene@haca.org; info@terrymbellamy.com
Cc: CouncilMail@ashevillenc.gov; LBradley@ashevillenc.gov; jrichardson@ashevillenc.gov; klipe@ashevillenc.gov; boast@ashevillenc.gov; GJackson@ashevillenc.gov; freeborn@freebornasheville.com; jandavis@main.nc.us; rcape@charter.net; hollyj@buncombe.main.nc.us; newmanasheville@aol.com
Sent: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: Loss of McCormick Heights to Drug Crime

Councilman Mumpower,

Facts do not cease to exist just because you choose to ignore them.  I have never disagreed publicly nor privately that the City of Asheville’s police could have done more to assist with removing the illegal activities that took place in McCormick Heights in recent years.  The tracked data shows that arrests were made and responses to calls made did occur, but was it enough – NO.

But to ignore the fact that there were other realities impacting the dramatic change in the number of residents in McCormick Heights is insane.  McCormick Height saw a dramatic drop in the number of residents for several reasons including:
1.  There were a large number of senior residents living in the development with three and four bedroom apartments, which they no longer needed. With the opening of Overlook and Mountain Spring Apartments, they choose to move to a smaller more affordable apartment.  These were women who kept up their front yards and picked up litter throughout the development.  These were tenants who paid their rent on time and took pride in the neighborhood, which impacted the developments cash flow.
2.  There were tenants who applied for Section 8 vouchers and found houses that they were able to move to in neighborhoods throughout Asheville, which impacted the developments cash flow.
3.  Interstate – the managing company did not advertise the development adequately to get additional tenants.  They also did not put enough funds into the development to fund some of the basic maintenance needs to keep the development up to the standards that they should have been kept.  Building safety sited several of the units and buildings over the years, and the repairs were never completed.  This fact inturn limited the number of tenants who were willing to move in the development or remain in the conditions.
4.  The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency who issued the tax credits failed to come out and do regular oversight visits to the location and when they did, they did not follow up to make sure any noted repairs where completed.
5.  Carolina Power and Light should have put more money into Interstate’s possession to be able to make some of the repairs when the rents were not enough to cover the development.

I am acknowledging publicly the illegal activities were apart of the problem and I am also acknowledging the aforementioned issues were also apart of the problem.  As you stated, “occupancy rates, unsustainable revenue cycles, and safety concerns are united harms,” which were the case at McCormick Heights.  The combination of those factors is what led to unsustainability of McCormick Heights.

I am further acknowledging that “rule enforcement, effective policy, and hands on social interventions are necessary if we are going to intercept this destructive process,” which is why council has supported the Weed and Seed initiative, Project March, increased police presence in the crime impacted neighborhoods, non-profits work in crime impacted neighborhoods, additional resources for our recreational centers and various other efforts.  I will even say council is willing to do more!

It looks to me that I am articulating the same thing that you are – “occupancy rates, unsustainable revenue cycles, and safety concerns are united harms,” and those are items that impacted McCormick Height – I may have used different terms, but now I am using yours – so does that continue to be spin – or is just the plan truth!

I look forward to working towards finding solutions to our issues and working with council to provide true leadership in addressing the challenges that are in our community.

Mayor Bellamy

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Sent: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: Loss of McCormick Heights to Drug Crime

Mayor,

A problem unfolds with your persistent manipulation of those facts.  I take no pleasure in sharing that since the issue of McCormick Heights first came to the table under your leadership in December, this City Council, in closed session, open session, and media comment has miserved the public interest with selective application of the facts around the loss of McCormick Heights.  The delay in public announcement of the Council’s premature vote to purchase and develop this property combined with efforts to minimize our past failure to provide effective policing for the residents of McCormick Heights does not represent a model of service in which I find comfort.  I will no longer be patient in the face of hollow words which betray the facts, camouflage our leadership failure, and pay lip service to the progressive risk of existing affordable housing resources due to drug crime and other serious safety concerns.  There is no absence of spin from this Council – there is a decided absence of urgency and realism.

Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council

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Mayor Terry Bellamy

wrote:
Councilman Mumpower,

I do not expect any more from you.

As I previously stated, I will continue to work with council to find solutions to the challenges that impact our community.

All my best,

Mayor Bellamy

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In a message dated 4/7/2007 7:55:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Pastorogden writes:

Councilman Carl Mumpower

It seems to me you are subliminally attacking the leadership and credibility of our Mayor Terry Bellamy, with some of your comments and statements in reference to drugs in the black community and segments of low income housing neighborhoods.

The drug issue in Asheville did not just start when Mayor Bellamy came into office. I did not see or hear the issues raised when Mayor Worley was in office.

Why is it? That you are on a rampage now, since she is in office? Is it a black thing?

Yes, I said it!!!

Do you want to be mayor so bad that you are trying to discredit her leadership abilities to promote your self-centered agenda? I’ve only been part of this community for a little over four years, and it appalls me in manner in which you carry yourself as an elected city councilman.

It seems to me…that you want to present yourself as some great white hope for the community of African Americans, to promote your own self interest.

Sir, enough is enough!

I don’t like politics, and I do my very best to stay of politics, but you are leaving me with no choice to call you out.

Why is it?

Now, that we have a black mayor – you raise the drug/housing issue; as I know it…Asheville, have always had housing and drug problems. The same problems existed under previous mayors!

We will not continue to let you make attacks on our mayor!

Rev. Keith A. Ogden, MA
Senior Pastor, HSBC

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From: DrMumpower@aol.com
Date: April 7, 2007 9:09:10 AM EDT
To: Pastorogden@aol.com, thedrum2000@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Ref: Statement made by Carl Mumpower

Dear Rev. Ogden,

Please let me assure you that I am not subliminally attacking the leadership and credibility of our Mayor.  I am, as regards the handling of McCormick Heights and our failure to provide for public safety in this development, attacking the Council and the Mayor’s leadership very directly.  In respect to former Mayor Worley, let me promise that I was very direct in addressing his failed leadership model and that of other sitting Council members as regards our ineffectiveness in protecting people in public housing.

I have no personal animosity toward the Mayor – in fact quiet the opposite.  Nonetheless, friendship does not provide immunity from wrong.  I will continue to confront the Mayor or anyone else in the community who is complacent or otherwise contributing to our ongoing failures to secure public safety in our neighborhoods and curtail drug crime – that includes any neighborhood – rich or poor – black or white.  I believe we should all be ashamed for what we have allowed to happen

Your accusation of racial bias is poorly invested.  Just at it would be unfair to artificially pick on the Mayor because she is black, it would be no less unethical to give her a pass because she is black.  Race is not and should not be a factor in how I respond to the Mayor.

If you would like to discuss this matter further, it would be my pleasure to do so.  In the interim please understand that I do not respond to threats or insults and will continue to address concerns as I deem best.  I do, however, respond to people of good heart who can guide me to the right thing and/or a better way.

Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council
252-8390

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From: mrsmamadou2000@yahoo.com
To: thedrum2000@yahoogroups.com; drmumpower@aol.com; ken.maxwell@pgnmail.com; gene@haca.org; info@terrymbellamy.com; robert.simmons@communityactionopportunities.org
Cc: CouncilMail@ashevillenc.gov; LBradley@ashevillenc.gov; jrichardson@ashevillenc.gov; klipe@ashevillenc.gov; boast@ashevillenc.gov; GJackson@ashevillenc.gov; freeborn@freebornasheville.com; jandavis@main.nc.us; rcape@charter.net; hollyj@buncombe.main.nc.us; newmanasheville@aol.com; thedrum2000@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, 7 Apr 2007 5:13 PM
Subject: Re: [thedrum2000] Re: Loss of McCormick Heights to Drug Crime

Please excuse the length of this, but I had to post it before I cease from becoming a member of this group for some of the e-mails received are truly heart wrenching and draining.  I truly expected more out of adults, authoritative figures, but especially the clergy and am somewhat disappointed.  However I am reminded, the word of God tells me not to put confidence/trust in man, only in God.

This continuous back and forth finger pointing, disrespectful dialogue amongst our leaders bewilders me.  Authoritative figures who are in position to, collaboratively, make a difference within our communities, most importantly amongst the lost generation of youth (high rate of school drop-out, drugs dealing and use, injustices, and etc ) appears to be so divided that there is no wonder so many within our community are feeling the afflictions.

The adversary is very busy and in his deceitful ways… is causing a mess of things (i.e. not being at peace with all men, not being humble, not being slow to anger, offending one another, and etc.), confusion, people caught up in their minds – looking to the left and to the right and losing their focus, but most important losing their true focus.

First, I find it very disrespectful to the Honorable Mayor Bellamy in how Councilman Mumpower has communicated to her.  My question to Councilman Mumpower is if you are truly interested in the drug dealings within the communities, then why don’t you search a little higher and find out how so many drugs are getting into the neighborhoods? 

Secondly, my perception…the previous conversation involving the clergy referencing the announcement of Love Makes A Family was inappropriate, as well.  Scripture tells us to be wise as a serpeant, but humble as a dove.  I know we are not to allow people to walk over us with their rudeness, however we have to lead by example.  From my understanding we are to be careful about arguing over the word of God for during the conversation, if there were a lost soul that could have been won over, the opportunity was also lost.

To be honest, I have never seen so much division and a house divided against itself can not stand.  In the churches, Pastors are not communicating with eachother or attending other’s churches and etc.).  And we wonder why the churches are not full and what is happening to our youth and communities?  Adults and youth are divided.  Political figures are divided.  Communities and ethnic groups are divided.  Families are divided.  Adults, leaders, and clergy…we have to wake up and come off our self-righteous and power ego-trips.  It’s not all about us!  We all have a purpose here on earth.  We have to come together or we will continue to lose our youth, other family members, and friends.  And one thing for sure is one day God is going to hold us all accountable for our thoughts, deeds, and actions (to include non actions).

On that note, I came across this posting on the internet (http://www.annien.com/Forums/views/HumbleYourself.html) and wanted to share it with the group:

A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
If My People Will…
I Will Heal Their Land

_,_._,___

If my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:14

This is a powerful verse and a mighty promise from God, and it has been repeated in reference to our country countless times.  As I take yet another look at this verse in the wake of the tragedy of the destructions of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and I want to share with you what I see.

First of all, there is a clarification…“If my people…”  We would like to look at the decline in our country of its moral fiber and blame the turmoil, the increase in crime, the recent terrorist attack, the decline in our economy and loss of jobs, and many more ills that plague our land and blame it on those that live a lifestyle contrary to what we see outlined in the Bible—the homosexual, those that promote abortions, the murderers, the government, the ACLU.  But this promise is so clear.  God is talking to “his people”, the Christian, the Israelite, those that believe in Him and put their trust in Him, not to the unbeliever.  Do you get it?  Do you see that it didn’t matter where Israel lived.  It didn’t matter if they had their own land where they lived free, or were held captive in Egypt.  The promise was to them with a responsibility.

The responsibility was first to “Humble ourselves”.  It is so easy to look at the other guy and say it’s all his fault.  It is easy to say our country is not doing their job.  We’re being persecuted.  We are hated when we stand up for what is right.  But it is so clear that we must first humble ourselves.  We have to come to the place where we realize we are no better than anyone else.  And just because we don’t do some of the things other people do, we are no more acceptable in God’s eyes, no better, no less sinful.  To be humble means to realize who and what we are in the eyes of an almighty, pure, perfect, holy God.  We are nothing.  The only reason we can stand in his presence today is because Christ’s blood covers us.  When God looks at me, he sees Christ and the payment Christ made on the cross for my sin.  It isn’t on my merits, not because of anything I’ve done that is so good, because he says my righteousness is as filthy rags.  Only because of the sacrifice of Jesus, can I have a relationship with the almighty God.  Who am I to accuse, point fingers at anyone else and blame them for what is happening to our country.  We must humble ourselves before God.

Once we humble ourselves, then God says we must pray and seek his face.  I’ve wondered many times what does it mean to “seek His face”?  I think it means that I don’t just come to God with my agenda.  I come to him to know him.  I like to see the face of the one I’m speaking to, especially if speaking about important matters.  I want to see their expressions, their eyes, their body language.  Our voice and words are only part of communication.  But we don’t see God as we see another human being.  I think seeking his face means learning about him and what he desires.  It means getting to know him and his heart.  We can only do that when we spend time with him both in prayer and in reading His words to us.  We can know him intimately, and that is what His desire is.  When we know him intimately, then we know more about what He wants to do in our lives and hearts.  We can see more clearly the things that keep us at a distance from Him that we need to change.  This is where the “turning from their wicked ways” comes in.  It is too easy to look at the outward sins, like murder, rape, sexual abuse, theft, adultery, homosexuality, to name a few, and overlook some critical matters of the heart, like hate, jealousy, bitterness, unresolved anger, lust, unforgiveness.  These are the things that can keep us from drawing close to God…keep us from “seeking his face”.  But if this promise is to be ours and we are to do what our part to get to the end result, then we need to seek his face, thereby seeing those things in our life that are not pleasing to him and are not profitable to us.

Now, some people stop there and omit the next part of our responsibility.  He says “and turn from their wicked ways”.  That means we can no longer continue doing those things that displease him, that keep us from having a healthy relationship with him, and keep us in bondage so to speak because the things he tells us to turn away from are self-destructive as well as destructive to others.  We must turn away from those things, whatever they are in our lives.  For me, it might be different than what you need to turn away from.  But still, I must do my part and turn away from whatever he tells me to turn away from, to stop participating in those things that are wicked, or hurtful to myself and others in my life.
Once I have completed my part, and when we have all completed our part, then and only then can we look to him to fulfill his part of the promise….“then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins (the sins of his people remember) and will heal their land.”

I want to see our land healed.  I want to see us be united, to love one another, to accept one another.  I want to see our land once again prosper and be the great nation we once were and can be again.  It doesn’t matter what my neighbor does or doesn’t do.  It doesn’t matter what my government does or doesn’t do.  It doesn’t matter what the ACLU does, or the various militant groups that have risen up over the years.  What matters is what I and my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord do.

Let’s do our part to see this promise fulfilled in our land.  Let’s quit blaming everyone else and look at ourselves.  If our land is not healed, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Prayer is our biggest tool, God gave us.  It’s our direct line of communication to God. But we don’t us it enough.  Prayer is us getting our minds and hearts in line with the Will of God, so when it comes to pass, we receive the blessing of it, saying I prayed for that.” To often people pray amist, and not for the glory of God and yes… we are also to pray for our enemies.

So having posted all of this, I respectfully ask each of you… can we all come together and declare Wednesday, April 11, 2007 a day of prayer for our authoritative figures, clergies, communities, families, youth, and the world in which we live so our land may be healed?

A Mother’s Cry – He’s Still My Child

________________________________

From:   drmumpower@aol.com
Subject:
Date: April 7, 2007 7:39:30 PM EDT
To:   jboyle@citizen-times.com, jcress@sbgnet.com, pclark@citizen-times.com, abehsudi@citizen-times.com, nholder@mountainx.com, kchavez@ashevill.gannett.com, news@wpvm.org, bfishburne@bellsouth.net, cmorrison@citizen-times.com, requests@965woxl.com, MAWILLIA@ashevill.gannett.com, and 43 more…

Dear Ms. M.,

Thank your for your measured take on the dialog that is occurring around McCormick Heights and related drug and crime issues.  I appreciate your good touch and insightful comments.  That said, I believe it is important that we take these discussions into open air and will take advantage of any opportunity to that end.  The answers are not going to be found in the darkness, by just playing nice, or accepting status quo.

As regards my conflict with the Council, Mayor, and others on McCormick Heights, I find no place to step aside on this issue.  I have no mission of harm – I do wish to challenge wrong.  The comments that follow were in the Asheville Tribune yesterday and mirror what the Mayor and Council have shared on numerous occasions.  I would not be upholding my responsibilities as a member of Council if I remained passive with this level of leadership regardless of the color or gender of the persons involved.

Tribune Quote—The other key players blamed slum-like conditions.  Bell said, “Crime was an issue, but it was never the primary issue.”  and Maxwell agreed saying, “While crime played a role in the downward spiral of the property, it was not the only factor.”  Mayor Terry Bellamy sharply insisted that crime was not to blame.

It is my belief that it is OK, even necessary, to disagree on principles – that’s a model that my spiritual value system, which seems to duplicate your own, upholds with the absence of malice.  There is no malice in my saying that anyone who persists in minimizing the impact of drugs and related crime on public housing is doing significant harm.

As regards your question on going after higher level dealers, you are exactly right.  I’ve offered a year of my Council salary to anyone who can help us catch any elected or public official who has been corrupted by drug involvement.  If you have other ideas about how I/we might go after the big guys, I welcome your insights.  No one should be immune from our sights…

May I share one final thought?  The Rev. offers criticism for my efforts to curb the harms of drugs on the black community and others who are vulnerable to those harms.  I would be grateful if leaders in the black community would embrace this fight with matching passion and persistence so that I may step aside.  Until such time I will continue to challenge this issue as actively, visibly, and creatively as I can.  I welcome insight and help on how to do it better.  I am not impressed with calls to surrender to things as they are.

Many thanks,

Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council

When were good and noble people ever in a majority?