Comedian Dave Chappelle threatened to pull the plug on his plans to create a comedy club and restaurant venue in Yellow Springs, Ohio during a city council meeting on Feb. 7. The comedian was planning to launch Live from YS and the Firehouse Eatery in his hometown before the city council announced plans for a housing development.
Chappelle and his company, Iron Table Holdings LLC, bought an old fire station in December in Yellow Springs and announced plans to turn the building into a live comedy club and restaurant venue, Live from YS and the Firehouse Eatery.
The comedian minced no words when he said he would not continue with his business interests if the city moved ahead with their plan.
“I cannot believe you would make me audition for you,” said. Chappelle “You look like clowns. I am not bluffing, I will take it all off the table.”
Dave Chappelle and other residents of Yellow Springs, were opposed to the plan and concerned that the development would increase traffic while decreasing sidewalk usage in the area. They also had concerns over the development’s general setup, which they argue has no actual affordable housing in the plan. When the plans of the city first came to light, Chappelle spoke out as well.
“I’ve invested millions of dollars in this town,” said Chapelle. “If you push this thing through, what I’m investing in is no longer applicable. I would say that Oberer can buy all of this property from me if they want to be your benefactor because I will no longer want to.”
Chappelle was roasted for not supporting affordable housing after news spread of the meeting without noting that Chappelle was against the plan precisely because of the city’s plan. His representatives released a statement.
“Dave Chappelle didn’t kill affordable housing. Concerned residents and a responding Village Council ‘killed’ a half-baked plan which never actually offered affordable housing,” read the statment. “Without question, Dave Chappelle cares about Yellow Springs. He’s sewn into the fabric of the Village. The passion with which he delivered his comments during the Village Council meeting was just as evident as when he fought to create living-wage jobs with his famed ‘Summer Camp’ for residents during the height of the COVID pandemic.
“Neither Dave nor his neighbors are against affordable housing, however, they are against the poorly vetted, cookie-cutter, sprawl-style development deal which has little regard for the community, culture and infrastructure of the Village. The whole development deal, cloaked as an affordable housing plan, is anything but affordable.Three out of 143 lots would have been for ‘future’ affordable housing. The rest of the homes were to be priced between $250k and upwards of $600k. In Yellow Springs, and in many other places, that is not considered affordable housing. Instead, it’s an accelerant on the homogenization of Yellow Springs.”
Folks on social media also weighed in on the matter.
This was another story I am seeing all over my timeline that people cherry picked and hung #DaveChappelle out to dry. Did you read the entire reason first? Of course not. All it takes is a well worded header and you cancel anyone. Sad to see. pic.twitter.com/NGRETdAUpP
— #TheResistance (@BoneKnightmare) February 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/BMoeKnows/status/1492284245934587905?s=20&t=40mSKSvy7PIbM5Hx_nIQgA
After a vote, the city will go ahead with the development and build 164 single-family homes, 24 townhouses and 52 duplexes in the area. The city will also build “future” affordable housing on two additional acres. No word yet on Chappelle’s new plans for the comedy club and eatery since the vote took place.
