THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508090187
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
It's cooler now in Hampton Roads, but things were plenty hot Monday night at New Hope Baptist Church in Pughsville.
Emotions ran high as about 100 residents, city officials and real estate executives discussed problems that homeowners have encountered at new dwellings in Pughsville Estates.
The development of about 100 houses involves a partnership of developer F.R.``Rick'' Byers and Coldwell Banker Harbor Group.
Nereussa Williams, who recently moved into a house on Queens Street, said she's cried many nights about continuous flooding in her garage, ant and spider infestation and plumbing pipes that are exposed in her yard. Byers and executives at Coldwell Banker have ignored her problems and treated her rudely, she said.
``I will never, as long as I live, deal with Coldwell Banker again!'' she said. ``I can't help but think that this is a black area and they're not doing anything to this area because of that.''
But William E. Shelton, a principal broker with Coldwell Banker Harbor Group, said that he didn't think race was a factor in the homebuyers' troubles but that he was sorry about their problems. Byers didn't attend.
``I've worked in many black communities, and I don't think this is a black and white issue,'' Shelton said.
He said Byers and Coldwell Banker took on the project after numerous developers turned down the opportunity to build in Pughsville, a predominantly black neighborhood established by freed slaves.
Shelton blamed some problems on the city of Suffolk and the Virginia Department of Transportation for not improving streets and drains. He also said that new developers may replace Byers and that the developers won't continue trying to buy lots from longtime residents.
``They think we're trying to steal from them,'' he said.
Neighbors satisfied with Pughsville Estates were hard to find at Monday's meeting. But when two residents did speak in favor of the houses, they were criticized by the audience and Suffolk-Pughsville Civic League president Mary V. Richardson.
Thelma Crockett and Melvin Bowser said they have had no problems with their house. And the two friends said the negative publicity and public meetings on the matter only hurts chances for other residents to move into the area.
``I don't think we should keep talking about this or talking to the newspapers . . .,'' Crockett said. ``This is a nice neighborhood.''
Richardson said Crockett didn't understand Pughsville's history of turmoil. ``You haven't walked a mile in my shoes. I live here!'' Richardson retorted. ``You weren't here when the Farmer's Home Administration had to shut down houses in 1972. You weren't here when we fought to get water and sewer. And I won't tolerate these people taking advantage of us.''
Pughsville Estates homes range from $90,000 to $100,000. Byers had said the neat, two-story frame houses in the tiny community straddling Chesapeake and Suffolk were meant for revitalization, but some residents say they've been trouble.
In June, residents complained about drainage, flooding and landscaping problems. Pughsville sits on low property that's prone to flooding. However, it's not in a flood plain, so developers aren't required to build houses on crawl-space foundations - a point of contention of some residents.
By the end of the raucous meeting, Shelton said he would rectify problems, but he was unable to give a timetable. MEMO: THE NEXT STEP
Pughsville Estates residents are urged to list their concerns and
turn them over to Coldwell Banker staffers at the company trailer in the
5100 block of Townpoint Road. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by TERRI WILLIAMS
Coldwell Banker broker William Shelton discusses Pughsville Estates
with Mary Richardson, president of the Suffolk-Pughsville Civic
League.
by CNB