Residents of Dave Chappelle’s hometown in Ohio criticize his purchase of 20 properties despite housing shortages

[ad_1]

By Harriet Alexander for Dailymail.com 03:15 29 April 2023, Updated 05:29 29 April 2023

Chappelle, 49, was born in Washington D.C. but spent summers with his father in Yellow Springs, Ohio: Chappelle moved there permanently in the early 2000s. In 2020, he began buying property in the city of 3,700 inhabitants and now has 20 buildings, including residences, shops. , a former fire station and a former school Residents are deeply divided over whether it is acting for the good of the city or not, and a series of pandemic concerts that both anger and delight residents

Dave Chappelle has been compared to Donald Trump by at least one resident of his hometown in Ohio for his ability to divide people, amid an ongoing feud over the millionaire comedian buying property.

Chappelle, 49, was born in Washington DC but spent his summers with his father in Yellow Springs, Ohio – home to 3,700 people. In the early 2000s, Chappelle moved back to Buckeye State and in 2005 purchased a 3,150 square foot, three-bedroom home amid 39 acres for $309,000.

Several townspeople told Bloomberg they weren’t too happy with their prominent neighbor, saying Chappelle was ‘a force that is turning us into the place we’re all trying to stay away from’ .

Another added: ‘Dave has got to be the most controversial thing I’ve ever seen neighbor vs neighbor. Some locals have disputed that he apparently uses his star power to crush any questioning of his plans.

“If you close ranks and then decimate anyone who opposes an idea you have, then how does that inform community or build it, and how does that save a community?” one asked.

Several others, according to Bloomberg, compared Chappelle to Trump because he “would never apologize, double down, or blame the other person.” Chappelle himself has addressed the controversies – sometimes on his shows. Signs reading “Thank you, Dave” are dotted around the city.

The Megastar comedian has lived in Yellow Springs, Ohio since the mid-2000sIt’s the controversial Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs where Chappelle began hosting shows during the Covid-19 pandemicThe school house, built in 1872, was purchased by Chappelle in 2020 The comedian’s plans to turn the building into the new home of local radio station WYSOChappelle also plans to turn the former fire station into a comedy club The club will be equipped with a full bar, fire pets and a neon facsimile of Chappelle

During the pandemic, the estimated $60 million Chappelle began hosting concerts and shows at the Wirrig Pavilion, a wooden gazebo that sits on 34 acres of grass and trees. Some neighbors objected to the farmland being used for shows and several council meetings were held.

Other residents have challenged his purchase of 20 properties, ranging from a former school and fire station to stores and residences. Chappelle is working to transform several of them into performing arts venues or spaces.

“My town was dying,” he said on Saturday Night Live in November 2020.

“I did shows in my neighbor’s cornfield, and those shows were very successful and maybe even helped save the town.”

Some locals agreed: Business owner Brittany Baum wrote in a letter to the zoning board that the pandemic performances “brought magic and energy to a time when we needed it most.”

A local accountant, Matthew Cole, wrote, “A few local businesses wouldn’t exist today without the shows.”

Chappelle commissioned a report claiming that the events generated $12 million in direct and indirect economic activity for the state of Ohio, including $4 million for the village.

“Local farmers, my neighbors, started complaining that my broadcasts were too loud in a cornfield!

He described the town meeting that followed as ’embarrassing’ and said: ‘I didn’t resent it, I resented that these farmers in the countryside could decide the fate of a guy like me. People don’t deserve to do this. They haven’t seen enough. They do not know anything.

Chappelle’s recent purchases include the former fire station, purchased in September 2020 to turn into a comedy club.

Three months later, he purchased the historic Union School House for $480,000, intending to turn the 1872 building into the headquarters of local radio station WYSO.

He also bought some of the city’s residential and commercial buildings.

In November 2020, he turned down the opportunity to purchase 53 acres of land adjacent to his property, and the land went to Oberer Land Developers, a regional homebuilder, for $1.7 million.

Dave Chappelle is pictured center with rappers Dres (left) and Pos (right) of De La Soul on March 2 in New York City. Chappelle’s actions in his hometown of Ohio have divided the communityChappelle held a series of pandemic shows at the Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs – to the anger of some locals, but to the delight of othersChappelle is seen in June 2020 onstage at the Wirrig Pavilion Chappelle on Friday didn’t seem impressed by Bloomberg reportingSigns supporting Chappelle are seen in Yellow Springs, OhioChappelle bought this purple-fronted building, which was once the Earth Rose gift shopChappelle also owns the Smoking Octopus, which sells Chappelle merchandise

Oberer worked with the Village of Yellow Springs to design a residential development that would include 64 single-family homes, 52 duplexes and 24 townhouses, with prices starting in the mid-$200,000s, Bloomberg reported.

Oberer would also donate 1.75 acres to the village where up to 30 affordable housing units could one day be built.

Yet in February 2022, Chappelle attended a virtual meeting and opposed the plan.

Proponents said this would ultimately lead to lower prices.

“The fact that we’ve stopped development for decades is why we have the problem we have with a lack of housing, a lack of diversity and a lack of availability,” one said.

Chappelle told the meeting he was angry that his plans for the city seemed to be taking longer to be approved.

“I can’t believe you wanted me to audition for you,” he said, and threatened to withdraw his entire investment.

“You look like clowns. I don’t bluff. I’ll take everything off the table. That’s all. THANKS.’

Earlier this month, Chappelle himself purchased the site.

He told Bloomberg: “With the decline of Antioch College several years ago, Yellow Springs lost its cultural anchor.

“My interest has always been in restoring the cultural and creative economy that Antioch helped foster and that made Yellow Springs a haven for art, music, culture and academia.”

[ad_2]