WS Chronicle

Photo by Tevin Stinson

Executive director of S.G. Atkins CDC Carol Davis smiles with joy during the 11th Annual Fair and Affordable Housing Summit. The development corporation geared toward improving southeast Winston-Salem was honored for its hard work.

Development corporation receives award for work in southeast portion of the city

BY TEVIN STINSON

THE CHRONICLE

Each year city officials and the planning committee for the Fair Housing Summit recognize a local community development corporation for their work in the communities that need it most here in Winston-Salem.

This year during the 11th Annual Fair and Affordable Housing Summit, city officials and the New Horizons planning committee recognized S.G. Atkins CDC for its hard work and dedication.

While standing in front of more than 100 community members, business professionals, elected officials and others, director of human relations Wanda Allen-Abraha said the committee decided to choose S.G. Atkins because of their dedication to ensuring that adequate housing is accessible to all.

“S.G. Atkins CDC has made a major impact on a number of lives in this community. We just want to thank them for all that they do,” Allen-Abraha said.

Named after the founder of Winston-Salem State University Simon Green Atkins, the development corporation was formed in 2008 with a mission to revitalize the southeast ward of the city which has a large number of rental homes. Executive director Carol Davis said highway construction in the late 1940s caused the housing stock to be destroyed. Davis mentioned S.G. Atkins mission is to bring the neighborhood back to life.

“We want to revitalize that housing and attract good products and services for the neighborhood,” Davis said.

S.G. Atkins is responsible for the Ridge Wood Place neighborhood located off Waughtown Street. Davis said once the all 130 lots are complete, the neighborhood will contribute $15 million to the tax value. Davis claims that will generate a yearly property tax of $500,000.

“That’s significant because that money will go into our public budget,” she continued. “It can be used to re-invest in the neighborhood.”

In 2005, S.G. Atkins built homes on 10th Street near New Walkertown Rd. The development company which is housed inside the Enterprise Center located on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. also helps potential buyers find financial assistance with buying homes as well.

Those in need of financial assistance have the opportunity to complete classes at the Center for Home Ownership (CHO).

Participants in the course will learn about the home buying process, make contact with community professionals who will assist them, and learn to resolve problems that prevent home ownership. After completion of the course, S.G. Atkins will also help potential buyers find lenders to work with.

“We want to make sure that our buyers are financially ready,” said Davis. “That’s very important to us.”

After accepting the Breaking Barriers Fair Housing Award during the annual summit held at the Benton Convention Center last Thursday, Davis thanked the New Horizons planning committee for recognizing S.G. Atkins for the work they do in the community.

Keynote speaker for the summit college advisory board chairperson and city native Richard Caban-Cubero said more development corporations should follow in the footsteps of Atkins CDC and invest in the inner city.

Caban-Cubero noted that in recent years Winston-Salem has seen an increase in poverty and homelessness.

“We have to start investing in communities that are often overlooked,” he said. “Until development corporations decide to invest in the communities that need it most, nothing will change here in Winston-Salem.”