The American Dream is Under Attack in Greensboro – And I Have a Plan to Save It
When I bought my first home here in Greensboro thirty-five years ago, I never imagined I’d be writing about how property taxes are crushing families’ dreams of homeownership. Last month, I sat across from a young couple who’d been saving for three years to buy their first home. When their lender ran the numbers including projected property taxes, they realized they couldn’t afford it. ‘We might have to move to High Point or Winston,’ she told me, tears in her eyes. That conversation haunts me because I know they’re not alone. Runaway property taxes don’t just hurt current homeowners – they’re destroying the pathway to homeownership for an entire generation.
A Reflection on Servant Leadership in Divided Times
After 47 years as a business owner, I’ve learned that true leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room or pushing your own agenda. It’s about listening, serving others, and building bridges. Pastor Brown’s message today reminded me why these principles matter even more in public service. When he shared the story of Nurse Edith Cavell, who cared for soldiers from every nation because ‘Christ has called me to care for ALL people regardless of their nationality,’ I found myself leaning forward in my pew. That’s what servant leadership looks like. It’s about serving every person who needs our help, whether they voted for me or against me, whether they’re conservative or liberal.
Breaking the Housing Bottleneck: A Vision for Greensboro’s Future
Greensboro stands at a critical crossroads. With 65,000 to 70,000 new jobs coming to our city, we have an unprecedented opportunity for growth and prosperity. Yet we face a fundamental challenge that threatens to derail this economic boom: our inability to build housing fast enough to accommodate the workers who will fill these positions.
The numbers tell a sobering story: a single-family housing community in Guilford County takes two full years just to get approved—two years before a single shovel hits the ground. Meanwhile, starter homes now cost $400,000, and excessive regulations are adding an estimated $25,000 to each new home. We’re not just failing to build the 10,000 new homes our community desperately needs; we’re pricing out the very families we claim to want to help.
The solution isn’t a mystery—it’s sitting right in front of us, buried under layers of bureaucratic red tape. While other cities embrace 45-day permitting timelines and innovative solutions like third-party inspections, Greensboro’s Planning and Zoning committee and city staff have become the primary bottleneck preventing our growth. With my business experience in streamlining operations and eliminating inefficiencies, I know exactly how to fix this broken system and unlock Greensboro’s housing potential.
Bringing Back the Heart of Greensboro
I still remember being a kid in Winston-Salem when my mother would take me to the department stores downtown – those trips weren’t just errands, they were social events where we’d run into family friends and feel the pulse of a thriving community. That experience drives my vision for Greensboro today. As a business leader running for City Council District 4, I’ve seen what cities like Greenville, South Carolina have accomplished, and I know we can bring that same vibrant energy to downtown Greensboro. With strategic development, community engagement, and proven leadership, we can transform our downtown into the beating heart of our city once again.