Affordable Teacher Housing, a Solution on the Horizon
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Serving UNC students and the University community since 1893 Volume 123, Issue 115 dailytarheel.com Monday, November 16, 2015 Free Uber Affordable teacher housing, plans have run into a solution on the horizon speed bumps UNC Panhellenic Council and Uber are still working out issues such as liability. By Jamie Gwaltney Staff Writer Plans to provide free Uber rides to students have stalled as officials work out obstacles in the contract with Uber. Student Body President Houston Summers said the goal is still to begin trials before the end of the semester, but legal issues are holding up the process. “We’re working through contractual issues related to liability, contractual issues related to the exact time frame in which these services could be offered and we’re talking to Uber about acces- sibility issues,” Summers said. Summers said plans are more com- plex because when students sign up for an Uber account, they are given a free ride worth up to $20. He said this must be accounted for when con- sidering the limits on the free rides DTH/ALEX KORMANN provided by the University. Bailey Dumaine and her husband, Alexander Dumaine, work in their apartment. It takes 30 minutes for Bailey to commute from Morrisville to Carrboro. Summers said the rides would only be available on the weekends. “I don’t think (the weekend) time Counties have launched initiatives specifically for teachers frame has been officially set yet, but it is around the time that individuals By Zoe Schaver ing until it makes financial sense to sell. cations can ever earn is $50,000 per year. would be going to or coming from Senior Writer “I was a Carolina student for four years. I According to the National Education bars around town or late night travel assumed when we got the job in Chapel Hill, we Association, salaries for public school teachers in — to make sure those individuals get David Bennett and his wife live in the last would go out to eat on Franklin — that’s why we North Carolina have declined 17.4 percent in the home safely,” Summers said. house that falls in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City moved back to Chapel Hill. But for the years we past decade, a bigger decline than any other state. Free Uber rides became a possibil- Schools district — the last house before Chapel lived in Durham, we went out in Durham every Nationally, North Carolina ranks fourth- ity because of an anonymous dona- Hill turns into Pittsboro. That’s the closest to night,” Bennett said. lowest in starting salaries for teachers and sixth- tion to the UNC Panhellenic Council, his workplace that Bennett, a Chapel Hill High “When I first moved to town, the only thing lowest in average teacher salary. Summers said. The council is now School history teacher, could afford. we could afford (in Chapel Hill) was a cinder- In North Carolina’s Hertford, Dare and working out details with Uber for “I have a thousand teacher friends — I’ve block one-bedroom building that would only Holyoke counties, the N.C. State Employees’ insurance, liability and other details in been here 10 years,” he said. “I’m the only teach- loosely be described as a house. Today, I could Credit Union has launched past initiatives to the contract. er I know that lives in Chapel Hill.” do a little more, but I’ve been teaching for a build affordable housing almost exclusively for “If funds are coming from Panhel, Bennett said because teacher salaries are decade now, and even now we’re looking at teachers, leasing apartments at prices below the then they are the ones whose names so low and housing costs in Chapel Hill and starter houses and student rentals that need to market rate. are going to have to be on the con- Carrboro are so high, many CHCCS teach- be fixed up.” Elaine Wallace, spokesperson for the SECU, tract,” Summers said. ers choose to live instead in nearby areas like said no such initiatives are planned at this time Spencer Goodson, Panhellenic vice Efland, Pittsboro and Durham. It takes a village for Chapel Hill-Carborro City Schools. president for campus outreach, did He said when he first came to teach in Chapel Jeffrey Nash, spokesperson for CHCCS, said not respond to requests for comment. Hill 10 years ago, he and his wife couldn’t afford The starting salary for a North Carolina teacher housing has been tossed around at Summers said students would be to live in Chapel Hill at all. Instead, the two public school teacher with a bachelor’s degree is able to access this resource using their bought a home in Durham, which they’re leas- $35,000. The most a teacher with those qualifi- SEE TEACHER HOUSING, PAGE 7 UNC email address. Student reactions to possible free Uber rides have been mixed. Junior Emily Sheffield said there are other causes that need attention. “I don’t think it is something I ‘Comfortable and confident’ Chapel would personally use and I think I would prefer the funding to be used MEN’S BASKETBALL for something elsewhere,” Sheffield Hill Police said. “One thing is science labs are NORTH CAROLINA 92 really hurting for money and then to spend money to get drunk kids home FAIRFIELD 65 increases from parties just seems a little bit odd, but I guess it does have some benefits By David Allen Jr. because if kids are getting home safe- Staff Writer foot patrols ly—if it is preventing drunk driving— then obviously that is a good thing.” Replacing a preseason All- Justin McDowell, a senior, said it American is never easy. But two Chapel Hill Police will patrol would be an affordable option, but he games into the North Carolina Franklin Street during peak most likely wouldn’t use it. men’s basketball season, junior “I don’t know how much it Nate Britt has answered the call student social activity. would change because we already — and more. have resources to benefit students, Britt carried the load for UNC By Savannah Britt but it would be an added benefit,” in Sunday’s 92-65 win against Staff Writer McDowell said. Fairfield in the team’s home Other students said this program opener, tying a career-high with 17 The Chapel Hill Police Department could be beneficial, in light of the points and four 3-pointers. DTH/ALEX KORMANN and the UNC Department of Public recent drunken driving accident For Britt, it isn’t about minutes Guard Nate Britt (0) pulls up for a 3-pointer against Fairfield Sunday night. Safety are teaming up to provide involving former UNC student or being open. It’s all about being more coverage for campus and Chandler Kania. more confident. has seen an increased amount of With less than two minutes to Franklin Street. “I am a student who is off campus, “Being in my third year, I feel minutes, playing a total of 52 in play, Britt sent the Tar Heel faith- A recent Alert Carolina email so I think it is definitely a really great a lot more confident,” he said. the first two games of the season. ful to its feet with an electrifying relayed a message that there will per- safety feature to have — especially “The game has slowed down a Most of these minutes have come alley-oop pass to Isaiah Hicks. manently be joint Chapel Hill police what happened recently in the sum- little bit more, and I feel like with sophomore guard Joel Berry “I wanted to try to needle a and DPS foot patrols. It will be aligned mer with the drunk driving incident,” that’s what’s happening.” joining him in the backcourt. bounce pass, but I couldn’t,” Britt with peak student social activity. junior Kajal Grover said. “I think this When the Stags inched closer to Berry said he and Britt play said. “I knew the guy couldn’t beat “Everyone in this community should is a great way to help prevent future the Tar Heels in the second half, very well together and both share him up top, so I lobbed it.” always be concerned about our safety, situations like that and giving stu- Britt helped put the game away. a similar style of play. It took awhile for UNC to put both individually and collectively,” said dents a way to get home safely.” He buried back-to-back “We’re kind of the same player,” the game out of reach. Too long, if Winston Crisp, the vice chancellor for Senior Laura Burgess said the 3-pointers with about 10 min- Berry said. “Me and Nate have you ask Britt. student affairs. recent attempted kidnapping near utes left, distancing UNC from a good chemistry together, and “There’s no excuse for that,” Foot patrols will involve police officers campus is a reason free Uber rides the visitors. as you can see we are capable of Britt said. “(In a) home opener, walking around on foot to monitor activ- would help student safety. Not only is Britt shooting well, making shots.” that should never be the case.” ity and safety in the downtown district. “I think it would definitely cut down but he’s been efficient doing so. Britt said point guards are a He added that as the season The aim is to expand officer visibil- on potential drunk driving, which is He finished 6-of-9 from the field rare breed, and that there is a spe- continues and tougher opponents ity to help the town feel more secure always a positive, and then just over- and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.