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WELL, WE'LL GO AHEAD[New Bern Press Conference on September 8, 2026.]
AND GET STARTED.WHAT A, UH, MOMENTOUS DAY HERE IN OUR FAIR CITY.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, AND I KNOW I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T DO THIS, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR THOSE THAT I MISS, BUT, UH, THERE ARE SOME SPECIAL ATTENDEES HERE THAT I WANNA RECOGNIZE.
UH, FIRST WANNA RECOGNIZE ALDERMAN FERGUSON, UH, TREY FERGUSON, ALDERMAN FOR WARD ONE ALDERMAN SHARON BRYANT FOR WARD TWO.
UH, THEY'RE BOTH WITH THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
THEN WITH THE, UH, NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE HAVE CHAIR JANELLE REDDICK.
WE HAVE SABRINA BENGAL, WE HAVE, UH, JIM COPELAND, WE HAVE DAMON KING.
WE HAVE FORMER CHAIR SCOTT IN THE BACK, AND WE ALSO HAVE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERESA LEE.
SO, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE CITY OF NEW BERN CITY MANAGER, FOSTER HUGHES, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MARVIN WILLIAMS AND DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, JESSICA RU.
I MENTION ALL OF THOSE BECAUSE THOSE ARE VERY INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUALS.
UH, SO THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS WHEN THIS IS OVER, FEEL FREE TO, UH, SEEK THEM OUT.
MY NAME'S MAYOR JEFFREY ODOM, CITY OF NEW BERN.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
UH, THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL EVENT, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, MANY OF US HAVE WAITED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO SEE HAPPEN IN OUR CITY.
SOME SAID IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN, BUT IT DID, AND WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE THAT AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO, THE CITY OF NEW BERN WAS, UH, AWARDED A CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.
WE RECEIVED NOTICE LAST WEEK OF THAT FORMALLY, UH, CITY OF NEW BERN.
AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, IS THE SMALLEST CITY EVER TO RECEIVE A CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.
AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN BY CHANCE.
IT WAS A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF BLOOD, A LOT OF SWEAT, AND A LOT OF TEARS WENT INTO THIS.
A LOT OF VISITS TO DC, UH, A LOT OF VISITS FROM DC TO NEW BERN.
AND, UH, I AM HONORED TO STAND HERE TODAY TO BE A SMALL PART IN WHAT WE'RE TAKING PLACE HERE IN OUR CITY.
UH, SO WHAT I WANNA DO IS, IS INTRODUCE SOME FOLKS THAT'S GONNA TALK AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TRULY COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT EVERYONE THAT I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT REALLY BROUGHT HOME THE BACON, IF YOU WILL.
AND, UH, THERE'S NO, NO MENTION OF PORK IN THAT
UH, BUT, UH, I DO WANNA PERSONALLY THANK CONGRESSMAN DAVIS AND CONGRESSMAN MURPHY.
UH, SENATOR BUD IS NOT HERE, BUT ALL THREE OF YOU HAVE VISITED THE CITY OF NEW BERN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
YOU MET WITH US, YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS AND ASKED, HOW CAN I HELP YOU WITH THIS? I WANNA THANK ALL THREE OF YOU FOR DOING THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, CONGRESSMAN MURPHY TO MAKE A FEW WORDS.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS HITTING WAY ABOVE ITS WEIGHT, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
'CAUSE WE, SMALL PEOPLE ALWAYS HIT ABOVE OUR WEIGHT, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE JUST CONCENTRATED.
IT'S ALL THE, UH, THE WONDERFUL THINGS.
IT IS A, IS IT A GREAT DAY? UH, A DAY THAT'S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME IN COMING.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL, UH, THE HARDWORKING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HERE WE'RE BLESSED AS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO DO INITIATIVES CALLED, SOMETHING CALLED COMMUNITY FUNDING PROJECTS, WHERE WE TRY TO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, TRY TO PRIORITIZE THEM, PUT THEM IN RANKED ORDER, AND THEN WE GO AND PEEL, UH, TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND THEN IT, IT WORKS ALL ENTIRELY THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, UH, CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM THAT NEW BERN WAS A, AWARDED A $25 MILLION GRANT.
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE FABULOUS.
IT WILL BE TRANSFORMATIONAL, ESPECIALLY IN A SMALLER, SMALLER TOWN LIKE THIS.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS REMEMBER 2018, UH, HURRICANE FLORENCE AND THE, UH, TRAGEDY THAT WAS WROUGHT UPON THE COMMUNITY SO MUCH WAS AFFECTED HERE, OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, RESIDENTIAL FOR NEW BERN ALONE, I BELIEVE IT WAS 200 UNITS IN TRENT.
UM, IN AND OF ITSELF, THIS MONEY, UH, WILL BE TRANSFORMATIONAL TO PUT MIXED HOUSING IN TRENT AND DO SOMETHING THAT, UM, REALLY IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA WILL BE UNIQUE.
IT'LL BE A, A, A PLACE OF DESTINATION, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE, PEOPLE CAN WORK, PEOPLE CAN PLAY.
AND IT'LL BE REALLY, REALLY A WONDERFUL THING.
AS WE LOOK AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE WE'RE BEING FOUND OUT NOW.
WE WANNA DO THINGS CORRECTLY RATHER THAN, UM, RUN AMUCK, IF YOU WILL, AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT AND GETTING THESE TYPE OF GRANTS, THESE TYPE OF THINGS, WHICH ARE VERY, VERY INTENTIONAL, ARE GONNA BE CRITICAL TO REALLY A REVITALIZATION AND A, AND A GROWTH FOR A WONDERFUL SMALL CITY IN HOUSTON, NORTH CAROLINA.
I JUST SAY THAT I'M HONORED, UH, TO BE PART OF THIS AS THE MEMBER REPRESENTING, UH, NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA IN, UH, IN THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
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LOOK, WE ALL KNOW REDISTRICTING OCCURS AS AN ANNUAL SPORT IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.GOOD LORD, DON AND I HAVE PLAYED MUSICAL CHAIRS NOW FOR FOUR TIMES, AND IT'S KIND OF FUNNY, UM, I ALWAYS PICK UP AND SAY, DON, WHAT DID YOU LEAVE IN THIS SEAT? AND HE'S LOOKING AT THE SAME THING HERE,
AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND THANK YOU TO, UH, REGIONAL BARNETT, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO'S DONE ALL THAT YOU, UH, HAVE DONE TO MAKE THIS A WONDERFUL AND SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.
AND, UM, CONGRESS, CONGRESSMAN MURPHY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MUSICAL CHEER, I GUESS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHO BECOMES THE BENEFICIARY, BUT TRULY GLAD TO BE HERE IN NEWBURN.
AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL DAY, MAYOR.
IT'S, IT'S, IT IS AN AMAZING DAY, INCREDIBLE DAY FOR NEWBURN AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AS WE CELEBRATE $25 MILLION COMING TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCED, GOING BACK TO HURRICANE FLORENCE, UM, FAMILIES LITERALLY HAVING TO BE RECOVERED OR RESCUED AND PULLED OUT OF FLOODING AREAS, UM, HOMES, DAMAGE RESIDENCE, DISPLACED, UM, EASTERN NORTH CAROLINIANS, THE ONE WORD I WOULD SAY IS RESILIENCE.
AND WE HAVE EVERY ABILITY TO WEATHER STORMS, TO REBUILD, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE ARE RESILIENT.
I WOULD SIMPLY SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR ODOM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR WORK.
AND THAT ENTAILS WORKING WITH NOT ONLY THE COUNCIL, BUT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND TO EVERYONE THAT HAD A HAND IN MAKING THIS DAY A REALITY.
I'M TRULY HONORED AND BLESSED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO JUST, YOU KNOW, LEND A HELPING HAND.
UM, BUT IN PARTICULAR, CONGRESSMAN MURPHY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, TO OUR SENATORS AND TRULY, I BELIEVE TO THE CORE THAT WHAT WE SEE HERE IS IN SPITE OF THE STORM THAT EASTERN NORTH CAROLINIANS, WE ARE DESERVING OF OUR FAIR SHOT AT INVESTMENTS AND STRENGTHENING HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATING GOOD PAYING JOBS THAT COME AS A RESULT OF THE WORK THAT'S BEFORE US IN BRINGING TRUE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT HERE TO NEW BERN AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE AND MAKE GOD BLESS THIS WONDERFUL STATE.
AND MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU BOTH, UH, FOR THOSE WORDS.
THAT WAS LIKE A MIRACLE BECAUSE LIKE BOTH OF US TALKED AND IT WAS LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.
SO YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR DELEGATION, WHICH THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT.
UH, BUT ANOTHER REASON THAT THIS HAPPENED WAS BECAUSE OF LOCAL LEADERSHIP.
AND I AM HONORED, UH, TO BE THE MAYOR OF THIS CITY, BUT ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THE NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM, I HAVE BEEN AROUND THIS SINCE 2013.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, THERESA WILL REMEMBER, KEVIN WILL REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE GOT THE IMPLEMENT OR THE PLANNING GRANT BACK IN 2014.
I WAS NEW IN OFFICE AND I SAID, ALRIGHT, GREAT, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? THEY SAID, WELL, THE NEXT STEP IS IMPLEMENTATION GRANT, BUT YOU GUYS WILL NEVER GET THAT.
AND I SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THEY SAID, WELL, YOU'RE NOT BIG ENOUGH.
WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES.
AND I SAID, HMM, WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT.
SO IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE, UH, BUT WE DID THAT.
AND I, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE MAKEUP OF THE NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THE REASON WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS.
WE HAVE A PHENOMENAL BOARD AT THE BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY.
IT ALSO, UH, LEADS TO OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF.
UM, NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
FOSTER WILL TELL YOU, WE SAT IN HIS OFFICE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SAID, WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER THIS GRANT.
AND ONE SIDE WAS DOING ONE THING, THE OTHER SIDE WAS DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
AND WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
SO WE HAD TO BRING BOTH SIDES TOGETHER, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
AND PART OF THAT, UH, WAS HAVING, UH, A CHANGE IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AT THE NEW BRUN HOUSE OF AUTHORITY.
AND I AM HONORED TO BE WORKING ASIDE MR. NIE BARNER.
UH, WE HAD A CONVERSATION AT BREAKFAST ONE MORNING AND DIDN'T REALIZE HOW CLOSE WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME SIMILARITIES IN OUR PAST.
WE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR THE SAME COMPANY THAT I STILL WORKED FOR, BUT HE MOVED ON.
UH, BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY, REGGIE HAS BEEN, UM, A BREATH OF FRESH AIR, IF YOU WILL, TO THE NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY
[00:10:01]
AND HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE.SO I'M HONORED TO TURN THIS OVER TO HIM AND LET HIM SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH YOU.
UH, A AS THE MAYOR INDICATED, THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NEEDED AND THE PLANS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, UH, AS, AS WHEN I CAME TO THIS COMMUNITY, AS THE MAYOR SAID, EVERYONE SAID WE WOULD NEVER GET THE GRANT.
AND, AND, AND LET ME JUST BE CLEAR ON THE OUTSET, IS THE BOARD HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO THIS FROM, FROM DAY ONE.
AND WORKING TOGETHER HAND IN HAND IN LOCKSTEP IS MADE THIS DAY HAPPEN.
AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, THE SMALLEST COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES GETTING A CNI GRANT, MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THIS IS THE MOST COMPETITIVE GRANT THAT HUD GIVES OUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND SO, FOR NEWBURN TO BE ONE OF FOUR, OKLAHOMA CITY GOT IT.
AND VILLE, NORTH CAROLINA GOT IT.
NORTH CAROLINA GOT TWO OF THESE AWARDS, WHICH IS AMAZING.
AND SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BE THE SMALLEST COMMUNITY EVER TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE THE FASTEST OUT OF THE GATE, UH, WITH WHAT WE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE TRAGEDY HAPPENED WITH THE FLOOD, BUT OUT OF THAT, SOME GOOD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
I GOT A CALL THIS AFTERNOON AT TWO O'CLOCK TO FINALIZE, UH, TRADE THINGS WITH FEMA.
UH, INITIALLY THAT ASSESSMENT, UH, AFTER THE FLOOD INDICATED ABOUT $40 MILLION OF FUNDS THAT WILL COME TO THE COMMUNITY BASED ON 108 UNITS THAT WERE FLOODED OUT.
UH, BUT SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE FOUGHT.
SO NOT ONLY DID WE FIGHT FOR THIS GRANT, WE ALSO FOUGHT WITH, AND I, WHEN I SAY FIGHTING, I DON'T MEAN IN A BAD WAY,
AND SO WITH THAT, UH, THAT $40 MILLION HAS NOW REACHED 61 MILLION.
SO WE'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL $13.1 MILLION FROM FEMA TO GO TOWARDS THIS PROJECT ON TOP OF THE AWARD OF 25 MILLION IN CNI TO HELP US JUMPSTART THE REDEVELOPMENT.
AND SO FROM A SCHEDULE STANDPOINT, WHAT'S NEXT? WHAT'S NEXT FOR US IS TO FINALIZE THOSE THINGS WITH FEMA.
OUR GOAL IS TO PUT, UH, A RFP ON THE STREET IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR DEMOLITION OF THOSE FLOOD DAMAGE UNITS WHERE WE CAN GO AHEAD FINALLY AND GET THOSE UNITS DOWN.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE A CONTRACT, UH, TO A CONTRACTOR BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR TO HOPEFULLY START DEMOLITION, UH, IN JANUARY.
I THINK THIS WILL HELP FAST TRACK THAT.
AND THEN FROM A DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, WE'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ON SOME LAND THAT ARE, THAT'S AVAILABLE, UH, WITHIN THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY THAT WE PLAN TO BE ABLE TO BUILD, UH, FOUR, UH, FOUR BEDROOM TOWN HOMES FOR LARGER FAMILIES.
WE TALK ABOUT THE ONES, TWOS AND THREES, BUT WE HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT HAVE LARGER NEEDS.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD SOME TOWN HOMES IN DUFFY FIELD THAT WILL BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THOSE LARGER FAMILIES.
WE HAVE TO WHAT HUD CALLED RIGHT SIZE.
SO WE'RE GONNA RIGHT SIZE THOSE FAMILIES CURRENTLY THERE IN TWOS AND THREES, BUT THEY NEED A FOUR BEDROOMS. SO THAT'S GONNA BE SOME OF THE FIRST HOUSES WE WE'RE GOING TO DO.
SECONDLY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE PURCHASED, UH, FROM THE CITY AND THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, THREE HOUSES ON WALT BELLAMY.
THOSE HOUSES ARE ALREADY HOUSED WITH FORMER RESIDENTS THAT WERE DAMAGED.
WE'LL USE SOME OF THAT FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE, UH, THOSE HOUSES, UH, AS WELL.
SO WE, WE BOUGHT THE HOUSES, BUT WE NEED TO FINALIZE THE FINANCING ON THAT.
AND THEN THE NEXT BIG PROJECT, UH, THE CITY OWNS THE FORM A DAYS INSIGHT, UH, THERE ON BROAD AND P*****K.
UH, OUR FIRST PROJECT OUTSIDE OF THOSE LITTLE SMALLER ONES IS TO DEVELOP A MULTI-STORY, MULTI-USE, UH, FACILITY THERE AT BROAD THAT WILL PRODUCE A LITTLE OVER 150 UNITS, UH, THAT WE WILL BUILD THERE, A MULTI-STORY WITH SOME COMMERCIAL ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
WE'LL MAKE SOME RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS A DAYCARE SPACE AVAILABLE.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UH, THAT OUR GOAL THERE IS TO SUBMIT THAT APPLICATION, UH, TO THE NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY, UH, THIS COMING SPRING.
AND SO OUR GOAL THERE IS TO HAVE STAR CONSTRUCTION IF AWARDED, UH, STAR CONSTRUCTION ON THAT PROJECT IN JANUARY OF 28.
AND SO THAT WILL MOVE THAT PROJECT FORWARD.
AND THEN THE NEXT PROJECT WOULD BE TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AT THE ER, DENNIS WEST STREET SCHOOL, WHICH WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOL, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD UNITS, UH, ON THAT SITE.
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THEN LASTLY, UH, AS THE CONGRESSMAN INDICATED, IS TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TRENT COURT SITE AND BE ABLE TO BUILD UNITS, UH, THERE, EVERYTHING.SO PLEASE KNOW EVERYTHING WE'RE BUILDING IS MIXED INCOME, MIXED USE.
SO PUBLIC HOUSING, AS WE USED TO KNOW IT, IS GOING AWAY.
AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE AND MARKET RATE UNITS ON ALL THREE OF THESE SITES.
SO THIS WILL BE A MIXED INCOME, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL BE PUTTING IN PLACE.
UH, THE STREETSCAPE WILL BE CHANGED.
UH, THE ROAD CONFIGURATION WILL BE MODIFIED NEW INFRASTRUCTURE IN THESE SITES AS WELL AS THE PARK.
WE WILL LEAVE FROM WALT BELLAMY TO THE RIVER GREEN SPACE FOREVER.
AND SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A UNIQUE GREEN SPACE AREA THAT WOULD BE DESIRED BY ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND UTILIZE.
THE FUNDING FROM FEMA AND THE FUNDING WITH CNI ENABLES US TO BE ABLE TO CREATE, UH, A REDEVELOPMENT EFFORT THAT ENCOMPASSES MULTI-LEVEL OF PROJECTS AND FUNDING THAT WE CAN THEN BE ABLE TO UTILIZE.
AND SO WHEN WE DRIVE DOWN THE STREET IN YEARS TO COME, WE CAN BE ABLE TO BE PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE CREATED.
THIS IS A, UH, ABOUT A EIGHT YEAR PROJECT.
UH, HUD GIVES YOU ABOUT EIGHT YEARS TO FINISH THESE PROJECTS, SO IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THE FIRST PROJECTS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND LATE IN THE SPRING FOR THE SMALLER PROJECTS AND IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE DAYS IN SIGHT.
UH, WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND BY JANUARY, 2028.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UH, EVERYBODY HAS PLAYED A PART IN.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, WE INVITED COMMUNITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO CHARETTES AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED, 200 PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS EFFORT.
SO THIS HAS JUST NOT BEEN THE CITY AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE COMMUNITY UTILIZING THE CHAMBER SPACE FOR MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THIS HAS BEEN A JOINT EFFORT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THIS WORTHWHILE.
AND SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK MY BOARD FOR, UH, GIVING US THE LATITUDE TO BE ABLE TO GO AFTER THIS.
BUT WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GREAT.
SO IN CASE YOU DIDN'T PICK UP ON IT, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT A $25 MILLION CNI GRANT, BUT ALSO $61 MILLION FROM FEMA.
SO YOU BOYS DON'T LEAVE TOO QUICK 'CAUSE WE STILL MIGHT NEED YOUR HELP THERE.
BUT, UH,
UM, I SEE ALDERMAN LANEY WHITE JOINED US AS WELL.
UH, IS THE, THE CURRENT NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN COMMITTED AROUND $20 MILLION TO THIS PROJECT.
THIS TOO HELPED US WITH OUR APPLICATION.
REGGIE KNOWS ABOUT THIS SCORING SHEET A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN I DO, BUT I THINK WE SCORED PRETTY WELL.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT WAS THAT INVESTMENT THAT THE CURRENT BOARD OF ALDERMAN MADE TO THAT $20 MILLION.
I WANNA THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR THAT COMMITMENT AS WELL.
UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
I KNOW YOU GUYS MENTIONED, UH, I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED KIND THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
WE CAN START SEEING MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OR WHAT WE CAN EXPECT SOME CHANGES.
UM, WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, BUT CAN YOU GUYS EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO ALL WAS INVOLVED IN JUST MAKING THIS PROCESS HAPPEN? BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HEARING 30, 30, 30 FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE JUST WANNA GIVE THOSE PEOPLE CREDIT IF THEY YEAH, IF YOU GUYS HAVE, YEAH, SURE.
SO, UM, AND, AND FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN ANY POINT HERE, BUT, UH, WHEN THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN THE, UM, IMP OR THE PLANNING GRANT, WHICH WAS BACK IN 2014, GK BUTTERFIELD AT THE TIME CAME AND PRESENTED THIS BIG SWEEPSTAKES CHECK TO US ALL.
AND, UH, THERESA LEE WAS HIRED, AND, UH, MICKEY MILLER WAS HIRED AND THEY LED THE CHARGE TO PUT THIS PLAN TOGETHER.
AND THAT WAS A, A GREAT PLAN AT THE TIME.
IT INVOLVED A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT.
HOWEVER, AS WE ALL KNOW, 2014 WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
I HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE HAIR BACK THEN, BUT, UH, WE HAD HURRICANE FLORENCE OF COURSE, CAME THROUGH IN 2018, AND THAT ADJUSTED WHAT THAT PLAN NEEDED TO BE.
SO THEREFORE, THAT PLAN HAD TO BE UPDATED.
SO OUR CURRENT STAFF UNDER OUR REGGIE'S LEADERSHIP, THEY UPDATED THAT PLAN.
BUT THAT'S THE PROCESS AND HOW WE GOT HERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T MENTION OUR CONSULTANTS, BUT THE CONSULTANTS THAT, UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS ABLE TO SEEK OUT AND HIRE REALLY HELPED PUSH THIS OVER THE EDGE.
I THINK THEY'RE BATTING A THOUSAND, THEY'VE NEVER NOT GOTTEN A GRANT THAT THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF.
AND, UH, WHEN REGGIE WAS ABLE TO SECURE THEM, I KNEW WE WERE ON PRETTY GOOD FOOTING.
SO YOU MENTIONED OTHER CITIES,
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FAYETTEVILLE, OKLAHOMA CITY, GAINESVILLE, ALL BIGGER CITIES IN NEW BERN.HOW DID NEW BERN, I GUESS, COME INTO THE THE PICTURE? YEAH, I, I, I WANNA GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID, AND THAT WAS THE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE LEVERAGING, UH, IS A BIG PART.
THE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WAS, WAS HUGE.
AND I THINK THAT SHOWED, WHEN WE HAD THE INTERVIEW WITH HUD BACK IN JUNE, UH, THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THEM, I THINK IT CAME THROUGH VERY CLEARLY THAT NOT JUST WHAT WE PUT ON PAPER IN OUR APPLICATION, I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE, UH, THAT WE WERE TRULY COMMITTED.
AND AS THE MAYOR SAID DURING THAT INTERVIEW, UH, I'M THE HEAD AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT RIGHT.
AND SO I THINK THE COLLABORATION, THEM FEELING THE COLLABORATION WITH THE RESOURCES, THE, THE 60 MILLION, AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE FEMA FUNDS.
THEY KNEW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT WE WERE LEVERAGING THE FEMA FUNDS MORE IMPORTANT, WE WERE LEVERAGING CITY FUNDS.
SO I THINK THE COLLABORATION OF ALL OF THAT PUT NEWBURN IN VERY GOOD STEAD.
SO CURRENTLY, OR I GUESS COMING UP, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE KIND OF A MIXED AREA FOR PEOPLE WHO I GUESS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS.
WHAT DOES THAT COMPARE TO WHAT IT IS NOW, WHEN IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST? GOOD, GOOD QUESTION.
SO PUBLIC HOUSING CAME OUTTA 1937 HOUSING ACT.
AND SO, UH, TRENT COURT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NAME, UH, OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, IT SAYS NEWBURN HOUSING AUTHORITY NC FIVE, NC 0 0 5, WHICH MEANS IT WAS THE FIFTH HOUSING AUTHORITY CREATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AFTER THE 1937 HOUSING ACT.
AND SO PUBLIC HOUSING WAS CREATED, UH, KINDA LIKE THE FIRST URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS HAD INDOOR, PLUMBING, WATER, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING THE FORTIES OF WHEN THESE DEVELOPMENTS WERE BUILT, THEY'RE AGED OUT, OKAY? AND SO THEY WERE TARGETED, UH, WHICH MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE UNTIL 1969 WITH THE BROOKE AMENDMENT, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING HAD NO FEDERAL SUBSIDY.
SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE HOUSING AGENCIES MONIES TO, TO BUILD PUBLIC HOUSING.
AND THEN THEY, THEY, THEY MADE IT AFFORDABLE BASED ON THE PEOPLE THAT RENTED THERE.
AND THEN IN 1969, WITH THE BROOKE AMENDMENT AND SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATION, WE'VE TARGETED THOSE INDIVIDUALS AT 80% OR 60% OF THE AREA, MEDIUM INCOME OR BELOW.
SO WE'VE HOUSED THE LOWEST OF THE LOWEST INCOME SINCE THAT TIME.
WHAT THIS DOES, GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT, WHAT THIS DOES, THAT PROGRAM IS, IS OVER AND HUD IS MOVING AWAY FROM THAT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON NOW IS MIXED INCOME, MIXED USE HOUSING, WAREHOUSING, ALL LOW INCOME PEOPLE TOGETHER.
I SAY LOW WEALTH, NOT LOW INCOME.
SO WAREHOUSING LOW WEALTH FAMILIES TOGETHER IS A FAILED EXPERIMENT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON NOW IS TAKING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. THESE FAMILIES WILL CONVERT FROM PUBLIC HOUSING TO SECTION EIGHT, PROJECT BASED ASSISTANCE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE FAMILIES.
SO NO FAMILY HEAR ME, NO FAMILY WILL BE DISLOCATED.
SO THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE.
IT WOULD JUST BE IN A DIFFERENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE FORMAT.
BUT THE OTHER FORMAT IS TO CREATE WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT 80% TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF A MI, AND THEN ALSO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT TO 140% OF A MI.
SO THAT WAY WE HAVE A DEVELOPMENT IN EVERY PHASE THAT IS MIXED INCOME, MIXED USE.
SO THAT WAY WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING 120,000 WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT MAKE 30,000.
AND THOSE FAMILIES LIVING TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER CREATES A BETTER LIVING ENVIRONMENT THAN JUST HAVING ALL LOW WEALTH FAMILIES LIVE AND CONGREGATED TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECREATE OR BETTER CREATE.
AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE NOW AS FAR AS, OR THE TRANSITION PROCESS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE? WILL THEY HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR A LITTLE BIT? OR IS IT ONE BUILDING TRYING TO WORK IN THE MOVIES THAT, WHAT'S DONE? YEAH, SO WHEN THE FLOOD OCCURRED IN, IN, IN 2018, A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES LEFT, BUT THEY HAVE FIRST, RIGHT, FIRST RIGHT OF OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK.
SO THE REMAINING 110 UNITS THAT WE STILL HAVE ON THE PROPERTY, UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE STARTING BUILDING OFFSITE, UH, WITH THE DAYS INN AND HOPEFULLY F ADONIS WHERE WE BUILD ON THOSE SITES.
AND THEN WE RELOCATE THOSE FAMILIES OUT OF TRENT COURT, THE REMAINING UNITS, AND THEN WE DEMOLISH ALL OF THEM.
THAT'S WHY THE TRENT COURT SITE IS THE LAST PHASE, BECAUSE WE GOTTA GET THE LAST REMAINING FAMILIES OUT, THEN DEMO DEMOLISH, AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK WITH THE COMPLETE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.
AND, UH, IF YOU COULD KIND OF EXPLAIN LIKE HOW DO THE FUNDS ACTUALLY COME DOWN TO THE CITY OF NEWBURG? IS IT LIKE A LUMP SUM OR IS IT IN PHASES? AND IF IT IS IN PHASES, WHAT ARE THOSE BENCHMARKS THAT HAVE TO BE MET AND WHAT ACTION WOULD THE BOARD OF ALL HAVE TO TAKE? ANY BENCHMARK? YEAH, SO GENERALLY IT IS NOT WHERE THEY JUST DUMP THE 25 MILLION, UH, UH, UH, TO THE CITY.
[00:25:01]
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOOD ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY EARN THE INTEREST, NOT US.AND SO WE WILL BE DRAWN AGAINST THOSE FUNDS AS WE HAVE PROJECTS.
UH, AND SO THE, THE FUNDS ARE SET ASIDE IN TREASURY, AND THEN AS WE GO FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WE'LL BE SUBMITTING DRAW REQUESTS TO, TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR THOSE FUNDS.
SO IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE BEEN AWARDED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE MONEY GOES AWAY, UH, THE FUNDS ARE THERE AND WE JUST DO IT ON A, ON A DRAW BASIS, HOW MANY TOTAL FAMILIES ARE BEING IMPACTED BY US? SO RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE WAS 218 UNITS AT TRENT COURT, 108 OF THOSE WERE, UH, FLOODED OUT IN THE, UH, IN THE 2018 FLOOD.
THAT'S STILL 110 FAMILIES LEFT.
ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, UNDER THE CNI PROGRAM IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BUILD BACK TWO TIMES PLUS ONE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WERE THERE BEFORE.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE BUILDING BACK AT A MINIMUM OF ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY, FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY UNITS THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD BACK IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S LEVERAGING THOSE RESOURCES.
WE'RE PROBABLY WILL END UP BUILDING A LOT MORE BECAUSE WE GOT A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ALL COMING INTO PLAY.
SO WHEN IT'S PROBABLY ALL SAID AND DONE, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE THAN THOSE UNITS BEING BUILT BACK IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS WILL SERVE AS THE CATALYST IN THAT AREA, IN THAT FIVE POINTS AREA.
IT'S GONNA SERVE AS THE INITIAL CATALYST FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT TO BE ABLE TO COME, WHETHER IT'S SMALL BUSINESSES OR OTHER HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OR HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THIS SERVE AS THAT INITIAL ECONOMIC ENGINE.
PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT HOUSING FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, BUT 61 MILLION PLUS 25 MILLION, THAT'S REAL MONEY, THAT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE PARADIGM OF HOW WE LOOK AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT CAN BE DONE IN HOUSING AS WELL AS IN COMMERCIAL RETAIL DEVELOPMENT.
QUESTION FOR THE MAYOR FOR ME.
HOW DO YOU THIS KIND PUTS NEW POSITIVE DIRECTION IN A POSITIVE WAY? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, NEWBURN IS IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THIS GRANT JUST SIMPLY CONFIRMS WHAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS COMMUNITY IS SPECIAL.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT IN MANY WAYS, AND IT'S VERY UNIQUE.
AND I THINK THE EXAMPLE OF US GIVING THAT NEW BERN IS THE SMALLEST CITY.
I'M, I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT, UH, MIAMI, ATLANTA, LAS VEGAS, PHILADELPHIA.
THESE ARE ALL CITIES WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS GRANT AWARD IN THE PAST.
NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA, 35,000 POPULATION, JUST RECEIVED A $25 MILLION GRANT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS CALLED THE TRENT COURT REDEVELOPMENT, BUT THIS IS A COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A CITYWIDE REDEVELOPMENT, THIS IS A REGIONAL REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, BECAUSE FAYETTEVILLE WAS THE NEXT CLOSEST ONE THAT RECEIVED THIS.
BUT FAYVILLE IS A LONG WAYS FROM US AND, UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO SPECIAL FOR THIS REGION.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST, AND WE DIDN'T EVEN TOUCH ON THE THREE PILLARS OF WHAT THIS GRANT IS ABOUT.
IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS HOUSING.
IT'S ABOUT HELPING THEIR LIVES GET BETTER, HELPING THEM FIND JOBS, HELPING THEM FIND BETTER HEALTHCARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE PROVI.
UM, IT, IT JUST COVERS THE WHOLE GAMUT.
AND THAT'S WHY NEW BERN SCORED SO WELL IS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THIS IS NOT JUST HOUSING, THIS IS NOT JUST MONEY.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT FLOWED THROUGH WHEN WE HAD OUR INTERVIEW WITH, WITH HUD, UH, SOME OF US THAT WERE ON THAT, THAT CALL, THAT WAS INTERESTING CALL I, I MUST SAY, UH, WE WEREN'T SURE HOW IT WAS GONNA GO, BUT APPARENTLY IT WENT PRETTY WELL, I WOULD ASSUME.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, NEW NEWBURN IS A SPECIAL PLACE AND THIS JUST CONFIRMS THAT.
AND, UH, I, I WOULD TELL EVERYBODY TO, UH, I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE ON A PARTICULAR DATE, BUT SEPTEMBER THE THIRD IS WHEN REGGIE AND I RECEIVED THIS LETTER.
SO YOU ALL PUT SEPTEMBER THE THIRD, 2026 DOWN.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A MONUMENTAL DAY IN THE HISTORY OF CITY OF NEW BERN.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? QUESTION FOR, UM, ONE CONGRESSMAN OR BOTH? YOU CAN ANSWER IT.
UM, HOW DOES THIS KIND OF ALIGN YOUR PRIORITIES FOR HELPING, SAY, SAY THE FIRST PART AGAIN? HOW DOES THIS ALIGN WITH YOUR PRIORITIES FOR HELPING EASTERN EASTERN CAROLINA RESIDENTS? YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST JOBS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, BEING A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS KIND OF A SCHIZOPHRENIC EXISTENCE.
YOU HAVE THE POLITICAL SIDE UP IN WASHINGTON, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DISTRICT SIDE.
THE DISTRICT SIDE IN, IN A LOT OF WAYS IS SO MUCH MORE PLEASURABLE BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, DELIVER TANGIBLE RESULTS TO PEOPLE THAT WE LIVE WITH.
AND SO THIS, UH, THIS GRANT IN AND OF ITSELF JUST IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THE GOOD THINGS ACTUALLY THAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A LIFE ON A SMALL SCALE.
BUT THE SMALL SCALES REALLY HAVE BIG RESULTS.
[00:30:05]
I, I WOULD SIMPLY SAY THIS IS TRULY ABOUT STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT'S AT THE HEART AND CENTER OF THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION.AND FOR ME, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY NEW BERN BUT EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ALONG THE JOURNEY OF STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES AND KEEPING THE AMERICAN DREAM WITHIN REACH FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES HERE IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES.
AND THE OTHER THING JUST TO MENTION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE OTHER CITIES, WE GOT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, SO WE DIDN'T GET A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT BECAUSE WE'RE A SMALL COMMUNITY.
EVERY CITY THERE WERE FOUR WARS AND EVERYONE GOT 25.1 MILLION.
WE KNOW IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT 25.1 MILLION IS GONNA GO A LOT FARTHER THAN IT'LL IF IT'S IN ANOTHER MAJOR CITY.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M SURE ANYBODY HERE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HANG AROUND AND ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.