Why Are City Of Charlottesville Housing Activists Now Trying To Infiltrate Albemarle County With Their Agenda?

A group of Albemarle County residents asked me this question today at the swimming pool:

“Jerry, why are City of Charlottesville housing activists now trying to infiltrate Albemarle County with their agenda?”

Here is how I answered that question:

The activists are led by Livable CVille, the gang that pushed the City’s New Zoning Ordinance through. Because the NZO was so radical in its conception and execution, a collection of City home owners chose to sue Charlottesville, and they have successfully quicksanded the City in a 17-month lawsuit that is costing tax payers tens of thousands of dollars and counting. The NZO has backfired and has yielded zero new development while skyrocketing the cost of City real estate. Values have jumped because the parcels are now more opportunistic, meaning the relaxed zoning allows developers, investors and speculators more flexibility and upside with their development projects.

Now that the NZO is stalled in the City, the activists’ efforts are handcuffed, so with more time on their hands, they are shifting their attention and infiltrating Albemarle County. Utilizing the same playbook leveraged against CVille City Council, the activists are bullying the Albemarle County Board Of Supervisors to raise taxes on home owners to fund affordable housing initiatives. For example, the Board Of Supervisors succumbed to their pressure and raised the real estate tax rate 4 cents earlier this month. This was the first real estate tax hike in six years and helped fuel Albemarle County’s $642.4 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

These City activists are making it more expensive than ever to own and rent homes in the County. They are also now financially backing and socially influencing the political campaign of Albemarle Board Of Supervisors candidate Sally Duncan, a progressive socialist who lives in the Jack Jouett District.

On June 17, in a Democratic Primary, voters will determine the outcome of the Jack Jouett race, which pits Duncan against Dave Shreve, an anti-tax and more center-aisle candidate.

After I explained all of this to the group of County residents, I sat down in a pool chair, cracked an iced-cold IPA and watched as the men and women boiled with rage.

Then I said I would continue this discussion at 12:30 pm on The I Love CVille Show.

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