Comedian Dave Chappelle is in the news after he threatened to pull millions of dollars of investments from his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio if the town went forward with a plan that includes building affordable housing.
A spokeswoman for the comedian said Thursday that Chappelle didn’t kill affordable housing, but rather he and other residents were concerned about a “half-baked plan which never actually offered affordable housing.”
Multiple Yellow Springs villagers, including entertainer, lobbied against the project. The statement described the plan as a poorly-vetted, cookie cutter sprawl development deal with little regard for the community.
Last week Chappelle spoke briefly before a council meeting and said he’d pull his company, Iron Table Holdings LLC off the table if they approve the plans to build the one-point-seven-five acres of more affordable housing.
“I don’t know why the village council would be afraid of litigation from a $24 million a year company while they ex out a $65 million a year company,” Chappelle told council members. “I cannot believe you would make me audition for you. You look like clowns. I am not bluffing,” he said. “I will take it all off the table.”
According to The Dayton Daily News, Chappelle has plans for a restaurant called Firehouse Eatery and comedy club called Live from YS in the area.
The council voted 2-2 and rejected the plan and instead agreed to build 143 single-family homes with a starting price of 300-thousand dollars.
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