Story by: Sammy Approved
The West End Performing Arts Center is at risk of closing, and the land on which it stands could be sold in the near future.
Over 200 Atlanta citizens showed up at the Fulton County Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday to express their grievances and concerns with the board. Many of those attendees were there on behalf of the West End Performing Arts Center and the West End community as a whole. At the meeting, hundreds of citizens expressed their disbelief at the commissioners' lack of concern for investing in Atlanta’s communities that need it most.
In December, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to turn down millions of dollars in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants, which require that 70 percent of the funds benefit low-income residents, are meant to develop urban communities, pay for public facilities, rehabilitate real estate, and expand economic opportunities for the lower class. However, due to several years of the commissioners board mishandling these multi-million dollar grants, HUD threatened to suspend all awards for Fulton County in 2020. Rather than working to fix their money management issues, on Dec. 18 the board voted to stop taking the federal grants all together.
District 2 Commissioner, Bob Ellis introduced the resolution to the commissioners board and it was approved by a 4-3 vote, effectively sending the $1.9 million the county was supposed to receive this year, back to Washington, D.C. This means that the West End will now have to rely on the city of Atlanta, who has had trouble managing its grants as well, to obtain their HUD funding.
COMMISSIONERS WHO VOTED TO END HUD FUNDING
COMMISSIONERS WHO VOTED TO CONTINUE HUD FUNDING
This ruling has sparked outrage. One-hundred and seventeen residents stood up during last week’s commissioner meeting to express where they felt the grants could have been used effectively. Their concerns ranged from issues regarding mental health clinics, senior living, low income housing and homeless shelters, all of which they feel the funding could have been allotted to.
A long-time resident of the community, Maia Miller attended the meeting and stood as one of 117 people searching for an answer during the two to three hour-long meeting.
“I’m a product of the West End Performing Arts Center,” Miller expressed to the board. “First solo, first summer job, first film class…How can you brag about the success of Tyler Perry Studios when you aren’t willing to support the breeding grounds of that potential not even a mile away?”
District 3 Commissioner Lee Morris, who also voted in favor of the resolution along with Ellis, said that the rules for spending the grant money are complicated, which is why he voted against receiving it.
“It is unfortunate that the rules and red tape are so complex that jurisdictions often have problems spending it properly, which was one of the issues that led me to support Commissioner Ellis’ resolution,” Morris told The Neighbor.
According to town hall attendees, the commissioners did not speak much, but they did give the community of concerned residents the opportunity to ask their questions freely. The residents were very vocal and held the commissioners accountable.
Fulton County Commissioner Board chairman Robb Pitts appears to have at least admitted to the board’s incompetencies. The county’s administration “has been a failure,” he said. However, he still voted to end the program along with Ellis, Morris and District 1 Commissioner Liz Hausmann.
One meeting attendee stated, “Pitts, you are my friend but let me tell you, you need to resign.”
No conclusions were made regarding The West End Performing Arts Center, and despite the massive public outcry, it doesn’t appear the board has any plans of reversing their decision on the grants.
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