SPARTANBURG — City Council thrashed the developers of the Robert Smalls townhome complex following The Post and Courier’s reporting on the troubled complex.
Tenants at the predominantly low-income housing developed by EquityPlus have complained about long-malfunctioning HVAC systems and languishing work orders.
“I am hearing all of these things and it sounds like a horror movie to me,” Councilwoman Ruth Littlejohn said during a March 25 council meeting. “And I am hoping the city will never allow this builder to come back and build anything in this city. I do not believe that the builders would have done this if these were not low-income people.”
After local TV coverage in November about units without heat, the developer distributed heaters. But the problems weren’t fixed.
The Post and Courier reported on problems at the complex in late February after a woman fell through her floor and broke her ankle. On March 7, tenants shared concerns with management and city staff at a residents’ meeting organized with the help of the United Way of the Piedmont. Media was not allowed in.
Following the meeting, developer Ralph Settle with EquityPlus told The Post and Courier that his team would continue to make repairs.
On March 25, City Manager Chris Story said EquityPlus promised to replace 60 malfunctioning HVAC units. But the firm didn’t give him a timeline for when the work would be complete beyond the expectation it would be done within weeks, not months.
“We’ve sort of taken them at their word and good faith, and I’m just kind of over it at this point,” Councilwoman Erica Brown said. “Can they give us a guarantee that these things will be replaced prior to it getting too hot for residents? And if not, what are the alternate means? A fan’s not going to cut it in this heat and humidity.”
Robert Smalls was meant to replace Norris Ridge, a post-World War II Section 8 housing complex that city officials had described as the worst housing situation in the city.
In 2020, the city reached an agreement with EquityPlus. The company would buy and operate Norris Ridge while building Robert Smalls on land the city donated.
EquityPlus was then obligated to tear down Norris Ridge within six months of finishing Robert Smalls. That span has long passed, but Norris Ridge still stands, with sidewalk weeds and boarded windows.
It’s unclear why EquityPlus has not demolished the abandoned complex.
“At this point, we want all their resources focused on correcting remaining issues at Robert Smalls,” Story said in an email. “We plan to evaluate options for meeting the Highland neighborhood’s goals for the Norris Ridge site over the coming months but will not have further comment at this time.”
The development agreement also says EquityPlus intends to develop Phase II of Robert Smalls as workforce housing and redevelop the old Norris Ridge site.
Records from the state housing authority show that the company has applied for low-income housing tax credits for both projects. But that plan is now in question.
Highland Neighborhood Association President Leroy Jeter said given the problems at Robert Smalls, the community would not support any proposal from EquityPlus to redevelop Norris Ridge.
“We would not sign off on that,” Jeter said. “We don’t have any faith in them to do what they’re supposed to do, and do what they say they’re going to do.”
Councilman Jamie Fulmer said he was frustrated that the project meant to enhance residents’ lives had been plagued with problems. He and Brown are worried about how long problems at the complex might persist.
“I feel like we’re gonna be having this conversation, or whoever the body is up here, 10 years from now, suggesting that these apartments need to be replaced,” Brown said. “I’m just really disappointed in all of this.”
Mayor Jerome Rice said not a day goes by that council members don’t hear from city staff, Robert Smalls ownership, management or tenants about the situation.
“We are concerned with Robert Smalls,” Rice said. “We may not be moving to the speed that some of the residents would like. But we are concerned with Robert Smalls and I can’t say that enough.”
In the meantime, city officials stressed that Robert Smalls residents with maintenance problems should put in work orders with management to ensure they have a paper trail of their requests. People with other problems, including paying rent, should contact the United Way’s on-site community resource coordinator.
“It was not ideal to concentrate that structure of affordability in one location,” Deputy City Manager Mitch Kennedy told council members. “But we were reacting to something that was bleeding. So how do we proactively prevent those things down the road is the discussion that will take place. And it requires a strategy, and it will require funding.”
