The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - Econ Dev Office Says Empty Stores No Big Deal; Meg Bryce Officially On VA Board Of Education?

Episode Date: July 30, 2024

The I Love CVille Show headlines: Econ Dev Office Says Empty Stores No Big Deal Meg Bryce Officially On VA Board Of Education? City Has Fenced Off Downtown Bus Station Downtown Fencing To Prevent Outside Sleeping Not All Carlton Residents Want Habitat To Buy Park Some Carlton Mobile Home Residents Lash Out CASPCA Making Positive Turnaround UVA Football Training Camp Starts Tomorrow Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

Good Tuesday afternoon, guys. I'm Jerry Miller. Thank you kindly for joining us on the I Love Seville Show. It's great to connect with you guys through our studio and network. We're located in downtown Charlottesville on Market Street, kind of in the eye of the content storm that swarms central Virginia, Charlottesville, and Alamo County. A lot we're going to cover on today's program. Take a look at the screen if you're watching the program for today's headlines. We have quite a bit to cover, yet again, on the I Love Seville show. We never are short. I'll rephrase.

We rarely are short for content. Today is no different. We'll talk about the Economic Development Office, highlighting the fact that storefront emptiness, empty storefronts have increased since January. They, the Office of Economic Development, offers a word of caution. Judah, you have that story open if you could so you can set the table. Saying it's not nearly as big a deal as perhaps some would say. I focus primarily on the downtown mall. I focus on Barracks Road and I focused on the UVA corner. When looking at empty storefronts, those are my three barometers for the city.

When it comes to storefront emptiness, from the county standpoint, you have many more options to choose from. Stonefield is probably your starting place. But in the city, you have limited shopping and dining districts because of the nature of 10.2 square miles. And the three primary ones from our standpoint are the UVA corner, Barracks Road, and the downtown mall. Our studio is downtown. We walk the mall every day. We see the emptiness. We'll highlight it on today's show. And on that note, we'll highlight the fact that the city has put a fence. In fact, you have that photo. We can give Matthew Gilligan some props and a photo credit for taking that photo. It's from his Twitter account.

The co-chair of Livable Seville is on his Twitter platform today, highlighting the fact that Charlottesville City has chosen to put a fence around the transit station in downtown Charlottesville City has chosen to put a fence around the transit station in downtown Charlottesville that's the station next to the ting pavilion the fence around the transit station it's no secret that transit station is a how would you characterize the transit station when it comes to the houseless population? A popular spot for hanging out and sleeping and fraternizing? Is that fair?

Yeah, there's, for quite a while there were... Are you on screen there? No. Yeah, so they put a fence around the transit station. And a lot of folks in the community from an activist side are raising a significant stink about this fence around the transit station. Clearly the fence was put into play to prevent the houseless population from staying there. I'm curious if this is at all tied to that Supreme Court ruling from a handful of weekends ago that gives, that offers localities the ability to basically take it into their own hands, whether they're going to permit the houseless population from sleeping in public places. There's probably no more public place than

the transit center. The transit center is directly across from City Hall, like right across from City Hall. So is this the first indication that Charlottesville as a government is going to start making an effort of cleaning up the houseless, sleeping in public places? We'll talk about that today. If we show that photo on screen, I want to make sure we give photo credit to Matthew Gilligan for taking the pic. It's from his Twitter account. We'll also talk on today's program, Carlton Mobile Home Residents, talking with Charlottesville Tomorrow, the nonprofit news outlet.

Charlottesville Tomorrow should be commended. I hope this gets back to the reporters at Charlottesville Tomorrow. They should be commended for their coverage of the mobile home park. Erin O'Hare has a story out there today about this. I think this is the third story that Charlottesville Tomorrow has done. They broke the news that an unnamed buyer was willing to spend. Erin O'Hare did it on the 15th of July. I think you're on the cusp, Erin O'Hare. I hope this gets back to her. I have Virginia Press Awards personally on the resume from the time at the Daily Progress. I think you are on the cusp right here of winning some Virginia Press Award recognition for your coverage of this mobile home park. On the 15th of July, she broke the news that an unnamed party was about to purchase

the mobile home park for $7 million, Carlton Mobile Home Park. Then on the, actually that was the 28th of June, excuse me. On the 15th of July, she highlights that local groups are scrambling to find money to buy the park. So she breaks the news on June 28th, about a month ago. On the 15th in July, she has some follow-up coverage that local nonprofits are scrambling to buy the park. Now on the, I guess it was published today, she is on location at the park for a meeting with mobile home residents and Habitat for Humanity. She was Habitat for Humanity, Greater Charlottesville. She was not allowed in the meeting.

Was not allowed in the meeting where Habitat and mobile home residents at Carlton were discussing the future of the park, not allowed in the meeting, but she stood outside the meeting. And while standing outside the meeting, she reports that she could hear shouting, significant shouting from the outside.

Then she interviews two mobile home residents at the Carlton Park, and both of them in colorful language, four-letter word language, say they do not want Habitat to purchase this park. And then they point across the street to apartments that used to be, was it the Sunshine Mobile Home Park, Judah? Yeah. She points to the location of the Sunshine Mobile Home Park that was close to Carlton, now apartments. And she says those apartments, the residents quoted in the article, point to the apartments and say they are constructed horribly. And we don't want this park to turn into that.

However, the outcome of the meeting was an agreement. Habitat on paper outlines, because the majority of the residents agreed that they wanted to move forward with Habitat as the buyer. They outlined a structure for the future of the park, which we will unpack on today's program. I also want to highlight on today's show the, how would you characterize the reporting around the Meg Bryce appointment to the Virginia Board of Education? What reporting? This is a last week topic, right? Yeah, I mean, I would have thought that somebody was... I can't find anything on her actual confirmation.

Last week, in the progress, there was reporting, also part of the Richmond Times dispatch, that her appointment had to be approved by the Virginia Assembly, General Assembly. Now you have outlets reporting that it's an official confirmation and she's on the Virginia Department of Education website. I sent you that link, right? Yeah. And it says with her photo, her name, Meg Bryce, PhD, how she should be recognized. Her credentials should be honored and recognized, that she was appointed to her first term on the 24th of July, the expiration of that term, the 29th of June, 2028. Confusion in the initial reporting last week.

Yeah. Officially on the website. We should talk about that on today's program. I also want to highlight on today's show the fence around the transit station. I think that's something that should be highlighted. Training camp starting tomorrow for Virginia football and a significant brand turnaround for the Charlottesville-Almoral SPCA. Jude, I start the program every day with the same question for you.

Which headline intrigued you the most today? Which storyline? I'm just happy that the Charlesville Albemarle SPCA is turning things around. I think that's exciting. And, you know, it's all about the animals. And there was a lot of, you know, a lot of insanity, acrimony going on, and to hear that they're doing well and being recognized nationally, I think is great news. That's good.

They've done an about face. Definitely. The SPCA was in the news for a number of the wrong reasons yeah we'll highlight that on today's program Lisa Kustalo will get to your comments Bill McChesney will get to your comments Janice Boyce Trevelyan will get to your comments

the lead headline offer it to the viewers and listeners do you have the story in front of you from the office of economic development let's see CBS Yep, I'm looking at it. Where is it? CBS 19 or NBC 29? 29. Okay. Read the

headline from 29 and then give us the who, what, when, where, why. All right. The headline says Office of Economic Development says increase in number of empty storefronts is nothing to worry about.

Who, what, when, where, why now? And then I'm going to ask you this question. Is this spin from the Office of Economic Development? Who, what, when, where, why? The Office of Economic Development the office of economic development is reporting on a six month a regular six month report on retail vacancies from January to today twice a year

and the right now we're at 4.67% of available spaces empty. Okay. And what was it in January? The reporting does not give that figure. They do report that during the pandemic years, the rate sat around 7% to 8%. Okay, but we are in agreement that the pandemic years were an anomaly

and shouldn't be the barometer for comparison. Are you in agreement with me there? Yeah. When we were told to be on lockdown at our houses, given money by the government to stay home. I mean, yeah, that's 100% an anomaly. We cannot use, for the same reason when it comes to the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors, they say the sales data during peak

COVID when the real estate market went bananas should not be the barometer of what we compare a sales cycle to now. That's why the organization often utilizes 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, the sales cycles from the years prior to the pandemic to compare 2024 sales data to. Because if we were to compare 2024 real estate volume and sales data this year to peak COVID, it would see a massive drop off in sales. So the reality is data can be presented any way and not all data tells the same story. I will say this, that if storefronts are becoming more prolific from an empty standpoint, that's a point of concern. I understand the Office of Economic Development has a narrative it wants to spin, and of course it does. You have individuals there that are charged with driving the vitality of a local economy, right, pushing it forward, keeping it fortified. I get that they want to have a certain presentation.

That's their job. That's what they do. But when storefronts become empty, as this NBC29 article has highlighted, that's a point of concern. When you look at the downtown mall, you have prominent locations that are vacant. Draft tap room, where hearing is very close to opening. They're doing significant remodeling inside. I got some pictures because they lifted the... Oh, you took pictures? Yeah.

Really? What, you walked by there and took pictures? You have them on your phone? Yeah. Is it too much to ask if you could take them from your iPhone and get them on the show? I think I can pop them in there. Yeah, Draft Taproom, very close to opening. Finally, I would imagine

they're doing their best to open prior to football season. The owners of, one of the owners of Little John's and of Bonnie and Reed's, the Seafood Joint, Licking Hole Creek, the brewery, and the Ace Biscuit and Barbecue is the guy behind Draft Taprooms. That's Stefan Freeman, I believe his name. Enjoys a cold beverage at Keswick from time to time. But you got the old Commonwealth Sky Bar or Passiflora place that's still shuttered.

That's showing really no signs of life. I guess my point is this. Anytime you have vacancies from a storefront in shopping districts like barracks in the corner and the downtown mall becoming more prolific, that's a cause for concern. That's a cause for concern. There's not that many shopping districts in the city. And when the limited shopping districts and the most traffic, foot traffic areas become empty, you are worried. Generally, in peak economic standards, the city has a vacancy rate, the downtown mall, Barracks Road, the UVA corner, of less than 1%. Normally? Less than 1. Really? What is it now? What's the data it shows? They're saying 4.67. So you're talking 4x what it generally is. That's a lot. Yeah, that is a lot. I mean, that definitely gives a very different perspective.

Like I said, this article doesn't give any other numbers besides the current empty percentage and the 7% to 8% for the pandemic years. Give us a one shot on me with the headlines and get us the draft taproom photos. Also, I want to get the transit fencing photo on screen soon. I'm also very cautious to highlight sales totals as a barometer for success. Just because more tax revenue is generated due to sales at local businesses, those businesses are not necessarily making more profit just because they're having more dollars go through their location. That's a reflection of inflation. You talk to most small business owners and they'll say, maybe year over year we're generating more gross revenue, but our net profits are down because our cost of goods are up, our taxes are up, our labor is up.

Just about any line item tied to the business is up. So be careful on interpreting the data there. Downtown is an eight-block area that I follow the close list, and you still have very noteworthy properties that are empty. Just to name a few, the old soul food joint, the building owned by Charlie Kabash, friend of the program, Fellini's vacant, Allen Cajun's. That's not going to change that. Commonwealth Sky Bar vacant.

The Fellini's one may not be fair because I've heard through the grapevine that whoever takes over the lease at Fellini's has to keep at Fellini's one may not be fair because I've heard through the grapevine that whoever takes over the lease at Fellini's has to keep at Fellini's. Yeah. So it's extremely handcuffing that space. Yeah. It's not like they're trying and trying and trying and nobody wants to lease the space. Exactly. And we should also highlight the hardware store building has been empty since what, Urban Outfitters left?

Silver Chair, are they using it at all and if they're using it is it in such a limited fashion that it really isn't being used the hardware store building the second and third floor it's been on the market for sale for an extended period of time there's multiple buildings on the downtown mall that are for sale. Buildings that otherwise would never have hit a public MLS always would have traded pocket listing style before becoming active or before being positioned on a public MLS standpoint. So, you know, I'm just careful of how the information is positioned. You got the giraffe photos? Yep. Put them on screen if you could. All right.

Here we go. You can see the blinds and the two side windows are at half mast. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But it gave me a view to the interior. And it doesn't look like they're... So did you creep up to those windows, creeper style, with your iPhone snap and pics? No, I just went straight up and...

That's clearly work being done. This is great photos from Judah Wickauer here. What else you got in there? Are you rotating? And, yeah, that's the other one. I talked to some of the guys doing the work they said that they're going to improve the flow or the feng shui of the space it's still going to be self serve

that's good but the space is going to be improved one of the keys to the draft tap room concept is going to be the food really I mean have you eaten there in the past yeah the food. Really? I mean, have you eaten there in the past? Yeah. The food's so-so. Yeah. So you're saying that the key now is that they're going to try to do better food? I mean, the idea

is really good. Let's limit labor. Let's let the customer serve themselves. Let's put televisions everywhere so that we could be the sports bar of downtown Charllottesville yeah let's give them 50 60 70 beers to try let's offer them glasses that are small medium size big and super big and let them pick what they want to fill right we'll have stouts lagers sours ipas you name it we'll offer it yeah but if you're going to drink heady beer high ab beer, you need food that absorbs the alcohol for you to be consistently drinking at the location. And in the past, the food was not great. The delivery and the execution of the food was not efficient. So I would imagine Stefan Freeman, who's one of the guys that understands business, he purchases distressed assets and tries to optimize them, I would imagine that would be one of the focal points for him. Also owns Vitae Spirits.

Don't you need to have some type of food service to serve alcohol? According to Virginia rule, yeah. In fact, I won't name, you know, some restaurants notorious for taking cocktails with fruit as the garnish and rigging them up as food. That's food. As food instead of the spirit. That's a conversation for a different day. I like fruit.

Dot the I's and cross the T's. This comes via DM. Four to five percent physical vacancy, but I would be curious from landlords what financial vacancy is with concessions and age accounts receivables. owes the large majority of the landlords downtown and in the city. The concessions are being offered. The forgiveness of missing or past due rent is persistent and is something that most are dealing with. And a lot are asking this question, do I want to take a percentage of what is owed each month as opposed to evicting a tenant and having it vacant and having it set empty for a period of time? Yeah.

You know, I think that would be a factor of what happened with the soul food joint when it came to rent. Fantastic guy, Sean. Yeah. Wish him nothing but success at his new location. Also know the landlord quite well. And he had some of the most delicious cornbread I've ever had. Cornbread was off the chain. The food was off the chain. Yeah. It was off the chain. That was a tough location. That's a great question that comes via the DM anything you want to add

dot I's dot a T's cross on the first topic yeah just one last thing the final quote from the article states that they believe they have a very robust

business retention program that engages business in a proactive way if they have any concerns if they've got any challenges we can be there on the front side to help mitigate those so they don't reach a point where they feel that they have to relocate somewhere else hopefully that's true and they are helping as many businesses as they can stick it out and go the mile. You know what surprised me from that one? Who's the individual quoted in that article? It's the assistant or associate director of economic development, right? Johnson.

Assistant director of economic Development, Matt Johnson. Matt Johnson, the Assistant Director of Economic Development. Generally, the individual that's offering commentary to the media about economic development in the city is the director, Chris Engel. He's generally the person that's quoted when it comes to vacancies and economic development. This particular story, maybe the presentation, not the most positive, because we're talking a potentially 4x increase on what is past. Prior to COVID, downtown mall and most of the shopping districts, the vacancy rate was sub 1%. Now you're talking, was it 4.6, 4.7?

4.67. Basically 4.7 here. percent now you're talking was it four six four seven four point six seven four basically four point seven here so you're talking a 4x increase yeah and and and part of that we we should also highlight as a subplot on that part of that's the impact of smartphones and the internet cannibalizing the value proposition of locations and storefronts. Changing times. Diminishing the value of storefronts. Yeah, we should highlight that as well. That's not just an indictment or an indication of the economy locally.

Partially it's that. It's also the times that have changed, especially coming out of COVID. Yeah. Next headline. Do you want to help me out with this headline? Meg Bryce, possibly officially on the Virginia Board of Education. Okay, so you go to the Virginia Department of Education website. And you can easily find this. This is what I typed in. Virginia Board of Education on Google. When I Googled Virginia Board of Education,

I can click a link that says board members. From board members, I go then and scroll down and I see Dr. Bryce on the website. And I see appointed first full term, 24th of July. Date of expiration, June 29th. Right? You see it, right? Yeah. Can we get some clarity here? John Blair, maybe this is something you can help us with. John, you know this better than all of us? Certainly better

than Judah and I. Is it an official appointment? It seems to be. Are we past the approval of the General Assembly here, JB? Any clarity from any of the viewer and listeners? Yeah, they've got a date of expiration.

There's a date of expiration under her bio. I would like to learn. I learn from the viewers and listeners all the time. I would like to learn. I learn from the viewers and listeners all the time. I would like to learn about this. Yeah. Deep Throat, a couple comments.

He says on the previous topic, if you want to get Deep Throat's photo on screen, the national retail vacancy rate as of this spring was 4%. So the city at 4.7% is worse than the national average, but not by much. He highlights that Detroit's vacancy rate is 5.2%. He says in good markets, Boston, it's 2.4%, Atlanta, 3.6%, and DC is suffering mightily, but it's only still at 4%. So he's giving barometers. I would love to see that compared to a market like our size. I would love to see that compared to a market like our size. I would love to see that if you have that data deep throat for what, like Asheville.

Love to see it for an Asheville or any market that's our similar size, the vacancy rate. I'm very curious to see what, if Mr. Blair has any insight on the Bryce appointment here. We read last week in the Daily Progress that she needs approval in the General Assembly. There's some outlets reporting that it's completely official. Richmond Times, Dispatch, TV stations, whatever it may be. I will say this, I think Dr. Bryce would be a fantastic appointment to the Virginia Board of Education. I'll catch heat from that, from a portion of the community, and I'm willing to catch that heat. It's important that a board has differing opinions and perspectives on it.

A board that is only the same perspective or ideology. You know what kind of board we call that? Charlottesville City Council. Rimshot. I throw shade. Some of those people are my friends. But would you not agree that it's the same ideology there? By and large, yes. How about some diversity?

If Yunkin is willing to put some folks on there that are marched to the beat of their own drum and are on a path to the board that is unique or different from others, then I say, let's go for it. And the line that's utilized, kids not in public schools and private schools, I don't buy it. I don't buy it either. Jude doesn't buy it. I don't buy it. That's someone that's willing to do the work even more.

That doesn't preclude caring for those children. Thank you. And trying to pretend like, I don't know, trying to pretend like she hates public schools because she took her kids out is, I think, willfully ignorant. Thank you. You're desiring the best for your kids, so you put them someplace where you think you're going to give them the best. Yeah. And if anything, you want to improve them so you can potentially return your kids there.

Yeah. You're right. Improve the schools so that the next parent doesn't have to pull their kids out. Your own point today, Jim. Anything else you want to dot or cross when it comes to this topic? I just want some official clarity. Yeah. Why can't I... Usually Google's pretty good at giving information.

Shouldn't we go by what's offered there as official clarity? I honestly don't know. I don't know. Vanessa Parker says, Can you compare Charlottesville to Boulder, Colorado? There you go, Vanessa. In Arleesville on Facebook, talking to Deep Throat, can you compare Charlottesville to Boulder, Colorado? There you go, Vanessa, in Arleesville on Facebook, talking to Deep Throat on Twitter.

And same as the Albemarle County School Board, Charlottesville City Council, Bill McChesney says. And he also said, don't forget about the brewer restaurant owner that overextended himself. He's highlighting Hunter Smith. That's a name we haven't mentioned on the show in a while. Yeah. I looked up Asheville

and the information points to something that we're not really, another issue with the information that we're getting here about Charlottesville. He says Asheville's vacancy rate, Deep Throat, coming in, making the program better is 1.5%. But that also includes Bunn, Combe County, and not just the city, 1.5%. Asheville's dynamics very similar to Charlottesville city dynamics. Ginny Hu, thank you for the retweet. We appreciate you, Ginny Hu.

Go ahead, you to finish your thought. I apologize for interrupting. I was just saying that there's overall, Asheville's at 6.67% for 2023. But you can break it down into industrial, office, and retail, which all have very, very different numbers. John Blair making the program better. Are you ready for this? John Blair, if you were here, I'd give you a flying chest bump.

Should I give the flying chest bump to Judah instead? No. Let me respond to this. I appreciate this very much. Man knows his government and his politics like the Pope knows holy water. This is a great comment. He says, Jerry, Article 5, Section 11 of the Constitution of Virginia permits the governor to appoint an individual to a state board without General Assembly confirmation. However, after the next session of the General Assembly, if an appointee is not confirmed, they may not continue in office. Therefore, Bryce is a member until the General Assembly convenes and considers her appointment. If she is confirmed, she will finish the term.

If not, her term will end at the next General Assembly session. There it is, John Blair. Rock on, John. Rock on, John. Very nicely done. Thank you. Thank you, John, very much. I have too much respect to ask Mr. Blair if he thinks that she will get majority approval.

Yeah, that's a tough call. I will ask you that question. I don't know. Katrina Coulson and Amy Laufer already galvanizing their influence to prevent this from happening. She's got an uphill battle. I learned from John that the majority has to be in both houses.

So there's 40 members in the Senate of Virginia. Needs 21 there. And 100 needs 51 there. Lower house, Virginia House of Delegates, so needs 51 there. Yeah, for a total of 72. Yeah. And you can't take 70 from one.

Yeah. Yeah. You made the program better. There you go, John Blair. So I think that's a storyline to follow closely. I also think, as someone in Judah's, has this insatiable appetite for reading, just like I do, because we have to, to do a show like this. I also think there's a tremendous amount of confusion with media across the Commonwealth when it pertains to this storyline. Right?

Yeah. What's the next topic, my friend? The city has fenced off the downtown bus station. Deep throat. Put that lower throat on screen. This is deep throat to Vanessa Parkhill. The Boulder retail vacancy rate is 6.75%, but apparently the long-term average there is 5.3%. Charlottesville City's vacancy rate is 4.7%.

In a strong economy, it's a sub-1% vacancy rate. So we're 4x higher than a strong economy. Asheville is 1.5 right now. Boulder, 6.75%. We do have a clash of what it appears to be the internet, inflation, expensive labor, expensive rent, cost of goods, credit card debt, and expensive housing. You saw McDonald's missed some earnings thresholds, right? And McDonald's has indicated in its last call with shareholders that it's struggling to reach the lower and middle class consumer.

Even with its $5 menu, its $5 promotional offering. What do they call it, the value menu? $5. My wife let me know this. On Wednesdays, Happy Meals for kids on Wednesdays at McDonald's are $2. Wow. I might start getting Happy Meals.

What do you want? The Minions figurines that come in the Happy Meals? Is that what I get? He got Minions. He's been carrying the Minions around the house. You give our two boys, one of them is six years old, the other one is 21 months old, a happy meal box.

We rarely do fast food, rarely. But sometimes I'll say at home, Mom, that has a six-year-old boy and a 21-month-old boy that have the energy of cheetahs pounding mountain dews and then inhaling... I'll leave it at that. Our boys have the energy of cheetahs pounding mountain dews every single day. She says, you know what?

I just want to make it to bedtime. We'll get them $2 Happy Meals, Judah. You get the Happy Meal from the drive-thru window, and you pass it back to the second and third row of the family Ford Explorer. The eyes that light up are synonymous with the brightness we see on Christmas morning. Our 21-month-old looks at that box and the minions that come in it seriously as if it's the top item of his Christmas wish list. And our six-year-old is right behind there.

And our 21-month-old and our six-year-old will eat the fries and the nuggets and the, I think, apples come with it, sliced apples, before we even get home from the fast food place. You're making me hungry the more you talk. The point is this. Even with the $5 value meal promotion, they're struggling to attract customers. Yeah. So if at $5 for burgers, fries, and a drink, chicken sandwich, fries, and a drink, whatever it may be, you're struggling to get a customer, imagine what it's like for someone in Barracks Road Shopping Center, publicly traded federal realty owns that shopping center.

Extremely expensive rents. Imagine what it's like on the University of Virginia corner or the downtown mall when you don't have the economies of scale or the built-in efficiencies that a franchisee like McDonald's has. I wonder if word just hasn't gotten out enough. What does that mean?

That means that the people that they're struggling to get back into their restaurants are possibly not following the news and knowing that they may have dropped off because there was no $5 value meal. And now that there is, they're just not aware of it. No, I don't think it's that. You don't think it's that? I think it's the consumer is financially strapped. Yeah? I mean, that's definitely true. that. You don't think it's that you just think it's the consumer is financially strapped. Yeah, we have a financially strapped consumer, especially the lower and middle class.

I got to say though, $5 is kind of hard to beat. You know, one of the smartest decisions you ever made ever in life and you make smart decisions every day was locking in that home that you purchased prior to COVID. I know. I got incredibly lucky. I wouldn't even call it incredibly lucky. My former landlord has probably been kicking himself for the last three years. Remember when we were negotiating that purchase in this office, when this opportunity presented itself to you? This was not lucky by you.

This was you seeing an opportunity and pouncing on it like a cat pounces on a sleeve of Ritz crackers and a tin of Cheez Whiz. You were smart. But it was also the fact that my landlord decided that he and his partner wanted to sell the place. Not everyone would have jumped on it. My point is don't sell yourself short.

Okay, I won't sell myself short. It's also true that I did not want to pack all my crap up. So you chalk up the strategic decision to laziness when it comes to moving. I can't deny that was part of it. Branding and promotion is one of your top skill sets, Judah Wigower. Hey. We're supposed to be talking about the fenced-off downtown mall bus station. That's what the lower third says.

Viewers and listeners are telling us to get on track. Do you have Gilligan's photo that you can put on screen? I've got a picture. I don't want to put that photo on screen unless we're giving him photo credit, though. I've got credits. We're giving him photo credit? Okay. What do you make of this picture?

This is from his Twitter account. Hold on. Let's see. Is it on screen? Now it is. It's on screen. Look at the screen, viewers and listeners. Look at the screen.

What do you make of this picture? I mean, that wouldn't stop me. Oh, stop. What? What? You're saying that wouldn't stop you if you were the houseless and you want to sleep there because they have

shelter and cover with the walls and the overhang? Is that what you're saying? I'm saying and you want to sleep there because they have shelter and cover with the walls and the overhang? Is that what you're saying? I'm saying it's... There's so much to unpack with this picture. I'm saying you could easily practically walk over one of those or crawl under if... First, we should talk about the perception of it. Keep the photo on screen. The perception of it. Keep the photo on screen. The perception of it.

I mean, is it any worse than the perception that comes from the fact that the downtown transit station has been empty on the top floor for how many years? I meant more the perception of what local government is doing to a public space. Yeah. A space they control. Is this the first effort? Put us back on a two-shot. This is a question for you viewers and listeners as well. Is this the first example we have seen

in very liberal Charlottesville, Virginia, that houseless individuals who sleep in public spaces outside are no longer welcome? I think it's more the they're trying to set a message that you can't just

sleep anywhere. Is this the first effort we've seen? I think it is. Right? Besides telling them they've got to leave the park. Well, they first told them that they could sleep in the park. Because they were already doing so. He turned it into Sandersville.

I know. And he let them sleep in the park. Then he made the police be the bouncers to boot them from the park. Should City Manager Sanders been the one knocking on the tent doors saying you had to leave as opposed to police chief Cotches? Fair question. Putting up eviction notices. The fence around the transit station is the first indication I have seen from local government that houseless folks sleeping in public spaces is not allowed is this

a reflection of the supreme court decision that came a handful of weeks ago that said cities have the autonomy to do this kind of stuff and i further i i show a backup question hold that thought my backup question is this the influence of friends of seville the non-profit organization that's utilizing landlords, shopkeepers, and other downtown stakeholders to lobby city government and say, we don't want the houseless on the mall sleeping in public spaces? If I had to guess, I would say, I don't know how much Friends of Seville is involved in the pavilion, but considering it's summer and there are events going on at the pavilion weekly, I wonder if people have complained about, hey, there's like bedrolls and food and...

But that's always been the case. Yeah. It was always the case. Yeah. It was always the case. But as you said, now we've got the, uh, now we've got the, the federal ruling. We've got, uh, if you're, if you're taking notes, um, the last, this is what I was going to talk about. The last place and person I thought would go through with this is Governor Newsom in California. He's basically pushing all areas to get the homeless people off of, I think, especially dangerous areas, like next to waterways and highways, under bridges and things like that. But still, not the kind of thing I would expect from California. And maybe other jurisdictions, including our own,

are taking some notes and saying, look, something does need to be done. Deep Throat's got some commentary for you on Governor Newsom. First, I'm going to get to a text message that was just sent to me from the fixer. If you need something fixed. Call the fixer? And the legal system optimized in your favor. The fixer. This sounds like the intro to The Equalizer or something.

The fixer. The fixer. The Fixer says this. Dude, the other day, some houseless individual had done their laundry and draped their clothes across that fence to dry in the sun. I'm not surprised. This is the point of this topic, though. For you, The Fixer, for you, Janice Boyce-Trevillian, Lisa Costolo, Vanessa Parkhill, Ginny Hu, all the viewers and listeners, Bill McChesney, watching this program. effort from local government to make it inhospitable for houseless folks to sleep in public places.

I cannot think of a single other one. And putting a gate around a transit center that was an epicenter, not for transit, but instead an epicenter for the houseless, is a clear sign that we want to curb behavior. Yeah. A gate is about curbing behavior. I have not seen local government do that elsewhere.

What's next from local government? What else are they going to do? That's what I want to know. Is this the influence of Friends of Seville? Is this the influence of the Supreme Court ruling? Who led this charge? Yeah. Who made this call

in City Hall? Was it the Office of Economic Development? Was it Sam Sanders? Was the man who opened up the park for a shantytown the man who put a fence around a

houseless housing epicenter that was previously the transit center? Was this council? Good questions. Was this neighborhood development services? Right? Don't you wonder that? Yeah.

Deep throat says Governor Newsom will be pushing until the day after election day when it will be back to liberal business as usual, Judah. Could be true, but the fact of the matter is it still sends a message to other localities around the U.S. Of course the fence is... Kevin Higgins, his photo on screen. What is the city's strategy on this problem?

Who is accountable? Then he says, you beat me to it, JM. Bill McChesney, the upstairs of the transit center has been vacant because the design of it with giant west-facing windows causes a huge solar gain that makes that part of the transit center unbearable to be in. And don't forget about the removal of the benches on the downtown mall. I will say this, Bill, the removal of the benches on the downtown mall, an effort led by Joan Fenton, was as much about curb, was as much about sleeping on the downtown mall as it was about

panhandling and drug dealing on the downtown mall. The transit center was a I mean, call it what it is, and I'll catch some grief if this is, how would you characterize when it was at its peak what the transit center was? It was a shelter in a public place. You're talking about when the people were sleeping outside?

Yeah. You had half a dozen to a dozen people sleeping in the transit center. It was the most unapproachable transit center. I mean, it's got a vast open space on the second floor that was largely utilized by a small desk and kiosk and a bunch of brochures. And that was pretty much it. I never saw anyone in there except maybe one or two people working at the desk. The transit center was the unofficial visitor center. And when half a dozen to a dozen houseless folks were sleeping outside the unofficial visitor center, it offered the image or the perception of the most unapproachable, unhospitable visitor center possible. Yeah.

Possible. Lisa Costolo, we'll get to your comments here at the Queen of Cherry Avenue in a matter of moments. A couple other headlines that we need to get to. Giving props to Matthew Gilligan on that photo. We got the Carlton story in Charlottesville tomorrow today. Yeah. Charlottesville tomorrow's day. Erin O'Hare, this is her third article

on this. I think she's going to win a Virginia Press Award with her coverage on the mobile home story. There was a meeting recently between Habitat for Humanity and the residents of Carlton Mobile Home Park. She was not allowed inside that meeting right that's a sign of concern when a non-profit that

utilizes taxpayer money in part to fund its operation limits media from covering its coming and coming coming and goings that is I is, I offer caution to that. Okay. She stood outside the meeting and said she heard shouting and screaming and then interviewed residents who left the meeting of the mobile home park who said in four letter fashion, we don't want Habitat to buy us. Then they point to the former trailer park that was there that is now apartments that were developed by Habitat and say these apartments that were built are absolutely horrendous and way worse than our mobile homes. Yeah. This is not my words. This is in the article itself. However, a majority of the residents said we want Habitat to buy, we do not want this

unnamed buyer that's offering $7 million. Then the majority of the residents start negotiating in real time and they ask Habitat to put on paper their fee structure of what increased rents will look like should Habitat move forward with the purchase. And basically, Habitat promised on paper during this meeting that if they make the purchase, the rents in the park will not increase more than 5% or $15 per year over the three years following purchase.

I mean, you talk about shrewd negotiators. This is basically probably how it played out. You want a majority of us to greenlight you habitat for the purchase of this park? You tell us right now on paper what our rent increases are going to be. And if they don't meet our standards or approval, we're not going to offer you majority approval to purchase.

Shrewd. They had the leverage. Smart. A couple of things that we want to unpack from the Charlottesville Tomorrow story. A, Charlottesville Tomorrow, I want to encourage you to do more reporting when it's tied to zoning and real estate and the crossroads of local government and the economy and politics. I love that kind of coverage. Definitely. I will read that coverage more than the coverage that otherwise has been utilized in the last few years that's been more focused on DEI. Second, Habitat is a developer, a nonprofit developer, but a developer. And while the majority of the folks wanted Habitat, not everyone did.

And they pointed to apartments across the street or next door that weren't awesomely built. Yeah. Lisa Custolo on Cherry Avenue says this. This is Lisa Custolo's words. Habitat lied to the residents of the Southwood Trailer Park. They promised the former owner of all residents of the trailer park would get a new place. This is not true. If their credit and income doesn't meet their requirements, as one explained it to me, if we had all that

we wouldn't be here to begin with. That was also part of the Charlottesville Tomorrow story. That was what some of the people did not like about Habitat. The problem here I think is that there really is no perfect answer for these people. But isn't that life? John Blair says Bill and Jerry and Judah, the upper floor of the transit center was the official visitor center until 2020. Thank you, John, for relaying that to me.

So the transit center and epicenter for the houseless was the official visitor center. Yeah. Finish your thought, and then we've got to get out of here. I think the problem is the residents are hearing a lot of different things, and the sad truth is that the Habitat deal is probably the best deal for them. Without knowing what the plans are from the unnamed purchaser, the three years that they're going to get with Habitat may be the best that they'll get. Eventually, somebody...

You're saying it's the best of... You're saying that is the best of... any scenario possible, the three years there. I think we all know that they're going to get pushed out, and it's not going to be five or ten years from now. If Habitat buys it, they're going to develop it into something else, but they have to let the people live there for three years. Was it the whole point of the new zoning ordinance to put more density on parcels of land that had density upside?

And with Habitat, that may still happen. I think with Habitat, the people that live there are just getting a little extra time. I don't think there's anything more than that. I don't think any of them are going to get to stay there. There you go. Bill says the pavilion is an overnight hostel for the houseless population. A friend of mine manages this area, and oftentimes it's trashed and left in disarray in the mornings. And he does not refer to those folks as houseless. I will say this.

I'm often on the mall early in the morning, in particular during the school year when I do drop off of our oldest son. So that puts me on the mall in the vicinity of like 7.35 or 7.40 in the morning, 7.45 in the morning in that time range. The mall at 7.45 in the morning is a very different place than the mall at 9.30 in

the morning. I believe it. 7.45 in the morning and 9.30 are two different places. At 7.45, the mall is awakening from what happened the evening before. And that means the storefronts start emptying from the folks that are sleeping in them. Yeah. All right, two other topics. Dot the I's and cross the T's because we have a 2.30 show we've got to get to here. You do the CA, SPCA, and I'll do training camp or football.

All right. I am very happy that with the changes that the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA have made, they are actually getting national approval, national recognition. They've been recognized as a key leader in animal welfare community by Hills Pet Nutrition in their 2024 State of Pet Shelter Adoption Report. But I think that's a great thing. The SPCA does good work. It was a shame that there were problems, and I hope that all the problems are done. They fixed them, and they're back to doing what they're supposed to be doing. And kudos to them.

Good work. Last lower third, if you can put on screen. Training camp tomorrow. Virginia football. We are, what, less than a month from kickoff, Richmond Spiders. This is a big year for the head coach, Tony Elliott. A job security year. We are a month and a day from the Richmond Spiders hitting Scott Stadium for a 6 o'clock kickoff on the 31st of August. Let's follow this team closely.

A lot of talent on that roster. Tony Elliott called Chris Tyree, the transfer from Notre Dame, the kid from Richmond, the fastest player he has ever coached. Wow. And this guy has coached pros from Clemson and Death Valley during his time as the offensive coordinator down there. Judah Wachauer, Jerry Miller, the I Love Seville Show. So long, everybody.