Meet Nathaniel Griffin, the mayor of Wellston, Missouri. One day he woke up and realized he had signed a deal that would see 20% of all of the city’s housing supply demolished. He immediately decided to walk the decision back. It sounds extremely unlikely, but with a bit of serendipity and a very determined team of committed people, Griffin succeeded.
This story is unusual. You don’t find many cities in the United States where 20% of the housing stock is public housing (the national average is less than 5%). It’s also more than a little unusual when an elected official changes their mind and works to undo what they’ve done.
Elected officials and voters might find this story interesting, not for the specifics, but as an example of not giving up when all seems lost.
You can read more about this unusual story in Shelterforce: A Fifth of This Town’s Homes Were Saved from Demolition—And Kept Affordable
