Dave Chappelle Says He’s Not Against Affordable Housing

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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