Update: Dave Chappelle Responds After Receiving Backlash For Threatening To Pull $65 Million Investment From Hometown Over Affordable Housing Project

Dave Chappelle

Update: Dave Chappelle Responds After Receiving Backlash For Threatening To Pull $65 Million Investment From Hometown Over Affordable Housing Project

Update: Dave Chappelle is setting the record straight on his controversial stance against an affordable housing development coming to his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. According to new reports, Chappelle’s spokeswoman Carla Sims released a statement in hopes of providing more clarity as to why the comedian was against the housing project. She said that despite what some may think,

“Dave Chappelle didn’t kill affordable housing. Concerned residents and a responding Village Council ‘killed’ a half-baked plan which never actually offered affordable housing.”

She continued,

“Neither Dave nor his neighbors are against affordable housing, however, they are against the poorly vetted, cookie-cutter, sprawl-style development deal which has little regard for the community, culture and infrastructure of the Village,”

Sims added,

“The whole development deal, cloaked as an affordable housing plan, is anything but affordable. Three out of 143 lots would have been for ‘future’ affordable housing. The rest of the homes were to be priced between $250K and upwards of $600K. In Yellow Springs, and in many other places, that is not considered affordable housing. Instead, it’s an accelerant on the homogenization of Yellow Springs.”

Original Story: Well-known comedian Dave Chappelle, 48, isn’t here for affordable housing coming to his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio.

According to reports, the village council of Yellow Springs had planned on bringing affordable housing to the area. For the pending development project, the city teamed up with Oberer Homes to build a mix of single-family homes, duplexes, and townhouses at an affordable rate for the public. In addition to that, Oberer Homes also planned on donating an additional 1.75 acres to the town so more affordable housing could be built in the future.

However, during a city council meeting that took place on Monday (Feb. 7), Dave Chappelle, made it clear that he is against the affordable housing agenda. The entertainer also seemingly threatened to pull his $65 million of investments from the city if they moved forward with the housing project. He said,

“I cannot believe you would make me audition for you, you look like clowns. I am not bluffing. I will take it all off the table.”

Dave Chappelle personally came to a city council meeting and threatened to remove his $65m dollars of investments from his city if they allowed a developer to move forward with an affordable housing program. The objection wasn't to the build, but the affordable housing component. https://t.co/3ahCy1KqmN pic.twitter.com/l8MTxhhlJ7

— grimm (@ExileGrimm) February 9, 2022

According to reports, Dave Chappelle’s large investments in the city stem from his company, Iron Table Holdings LLC, which is in the works of opening a restaurant called the Firehouse Eatery and a comedy club, Live from YS, in the Yellow Springs area. Chappelle is reportedly against the affordable housing plan because he lives near the proposed development site and has concerns over increased traffic, a lack of sidewalks, and the general setup of the development.

After Chappelle and other residents of the area expressed their dislike for the affordable housing plan, the council rejected the proposal Monday night (Feb 7). The council will instead stick to the original plan, which includes building 143 single-family homes that have a selling price of around $300,000.

LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 3: Dave Chappelle performs at HartBeat Weekend 2017 – Day 3 Dave Chappelle Live at The Chelsea on Sunday September 3, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Shot by @ArnoldShoots)

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