5 of 11: Developer's proposed portion of affordable units not enough for City Council

In February 2019, Developer Andrew Holzwarth angered a lot of folks when he bought the property formerly known as Belmont Apartments on Monticello Road and sent eviction notices to 14 of the 23 residents two months later. Many of the residents were long-term, low-income tenants who were paying between $500 and $800 a month for rent. Holzwarth wanted to renovate the apartment complex and re-brand it as Belmont Heights. That prompted a protest in May 2019 in which over a hundred people marched from the apartment complex to the Downtown Mall, including then City Council candidate Michael Payne and and Virginia House of Delegates candidate Sally Hudson, chanting “People! Power! People! Power!” and carrying signs that said things like "Holzwarth, you've destroyed our community." Some effort was made by Holzwarth to accommodate residents by offering them the renovated apartments at reduced rates, but others remained dislocated.

“The thing that makes me nervous is I don’t want a pat on the b…