CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — In early July, crews showed up downtown for some long-delayed evictions. It has been four years since white supremacists descended on Charlottesville, wreaking bloody havoc in the streets and killing a young woman. In a city that prides itself on its progressivism, the push for justice has, in general terms, enjoyed broad support. That this push may entail changes to people’s neighborhoods — streets of one- and two-story brick homes, lovely dogwoods and abundant Black Lives Matter signs — is another matter. Charlottesville’s planning commission is considering a proposal to roll back some of the city’s zoning restrictions in an effort to encourage construction of more affordable housing, a plan that has drawn reaction ranging from fervent opposition to disappointment that it does not go further.

Source: New York Times August 01, 2021 19:30 UTC