With four people shot last week and more afraid for their lives, city officials are doubling down on the Bon Air, the derelict Walton Way hotel converted to Section 8 housing.
“I can no longer stay silent,” said neighbor Cathy Dolan, who lives nearby. Conditions have deteriorated in the area so much that police advise neighbors to arm themselves while outside, particularly after dark, she said.
Meanwhile, Bon Air residents report not only do their stoves and toilets not work, they’re too fearful to call 911 in an emergency for fear of retaliation, she said.
Deputies responding to a June 9 report of gunfire found four people with gunshot wounds outside the lobby, according to an incident report. Two had addresses at the Bon Air while all four were under age 35.
Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice called the property a “major problem,” citing frequent gunfire and frightened residents
Rice said owners Redwood Housing Partners have shown “they are not going to do anything” about the problems. “It’s going to be up to us,” she said, proposing the city place Redwood’s business license on probation for six months.
The latest rash of issues comes as Redwood reportedly is investing in renovations. Last July, the commission approved a resolution allowing Augusta Housing Authority to issue $28 million in tax-exempt bonds to renovate the complex.
Owners of places like the Bon Air can get lucrative tax credits for using historic properties as affordable housing, and the Bon Air, built in the 1920s, is categorized as Section 8 housing for people over age 62 or with disabilities. The arrangements require owners get in decades-long contracts with HUD.
Despite the concerns, Interim Planning and Development Director Chyvattee Vassar said his department had only a single building code case on file for the Bon Air. During a 2022 walk-through, Augusta Fire Department found 18 life-threatening violations.
Commissioner Jordan Johnson, whose district includes the Redwood-owned Richmond Summit, said security remains a key issue. A 13-year-old boy was murdered at the historic former hotel in 2023 while picking up a DoorDash delivery.
Johnson made a motion for the city to perform an immediate codes enforcement walk-through at the Bon Air and get Redwood top staff to Augusta quickly. Interim General Counsel Jim Plunkett was asked to bring back recommendations for using the city’s ordinances and other tools to get the Bon Air in line. Seconded by Rice, the motion passed unanimously.
“We have an issue with slumlords in our community,” Johnson said. “If you are a slumlord, you should be on notice.”
