The City of New Bern hired a lobbyist to help achieve funding to implement the Greater Five Points Transformation Plan in 2021; received a $25 million federal grant in 2026.
Several small group meetings have occurred over the last two years to update the Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Plan that will ultimately eliminate public housing in New Bern, NC. The plan calls for the development of market rate and low-to-moderate income housing units on the riverfront property and the former sites of the Historic West Street School/FR Danyus School, if executed.
Planning grant and transformation plan
As the lead applicant, the city applied for a Choice Neighborhoods Planning grant in 2014 and received an award in the amount of $400,000 and the city, Housing Authority, nonprofits, businesses and members of the community developed the Greater Five Points Transformation Plan in 2016.
Craven Terrace
The Housing Authority of the City of New Bern hired a developer, Evergreen Partners, and established TVC-Craven Terrace (Transformation Venture Capital) to raise funds and obtain grants and tax credits to convert public housing units to private housing on the authority’s land off Broad Street between 2014-2018.
Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence damaged 108 units at Trent Court in 2018 that are unoccupied. Housing Authority Executive Director Blaney said he obtained housing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the damaged units. Today, there are 110 units active public housing units at Trent Court.
City hires a lobbyist
In May 2021, New Bern Board of Aldermen Sabrina Bengel (Ward 1), Jameesha Harris (Ward 2), Robert “Bobby” Aster (Ward 3), Barbara Best (Ward 5), and Jeffrey Odham (Ward 6) voted on a measure to pay lobbyist Old North Strategies $12,500 per month for “consulting and legislative advocacy services” thru Dec 31, 2021. Mayor Dana Outlaw (of Ward 6) also voted on the motion. The firm’s founder worked for Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy’s campaign as a political advisor, according to campaign records. A letter from ONS “proposed a Government Affairs and Strategic Communications engagement…will work to help New Bern achieve federal funding to implement the Greater Five Points Transformation Plan as well as seek additional federal funding opportunities for city infrastructure-related identified needs and opportunities.”
Housing Authority pays $899,893 for professional services
Housing Authority of the City of New Bern Board of Commissioners Jennell Reddick, Denise Powell, Dana Outlaw, Sabrina Bengel, Ronald Scott, James Copland; and Resident Commissioner Sulin Blackmon talked about the potential of including the housing development in the plan in August 2024 but decided not to. They authorized spending $899,873 for a contract with CVR Associates, Inc. to update the GFPTP and provide application services for CNI grant funding, as reported here.
Small group meetings
Several small group meetings have occurred on a city, county, state and federal level. A select group of city and county officials and members of the media were invited to a meeting with Rep. Murphy on Feb. 18, 2025, as reported here.
In March 2025, Housing Authority commissioners Jennell Reddick, James Copland, Pastor Scott Coghill, Sabrina Bengel, Pastor Daimon L. King and New Bern Mayor Jeffrey Odham privately met at Stanley White Recreation Center in New Bern, NC after a public meeting adjourned (above photo).
Lawmakers redistrict congressional map
North Carolina’s Republican-controlled General Assembly decided to redistrict in the middle of the decade and passed a new congressional map in late 2025 which moved Craven County (and New Bern) out of the 3rd Congressional District and into the 1st Congressional District. U.S. Rep. Murphy represents the 3rd Congressional District and U.S. Rep. Davis represents the 1st Congressional District.
The proposal
Reginal “Reggie” Barner, CEO of The Barner Group and Housing Authority Interim Executive Director, told city officials earlier this year that CNI grant funding had been cut in half compared to previous years. He also said the current budget had a zero-line for Choice Neighborhoods.
In February, Board of Aldermen James “Trey” Ferguson (Ward 1), Sharon Bryant (Ward 2), Robert “Bobby” Aster (Ward 3), Elainia “Lainy” White (Ward 4) and Barbara Best (Ward 5), and Dana Outlaw (Ward 6) authorized Mayor Jeffrey Odham (of Ward 6) and City Manager Foster Hughes to work with Reggie Barner on a deal on Feb. 10, 2026 after the city manager said, “We’re looking at leveraging $15 million in projects over the next 8-10 years, plus the additional amount for the road, water and sewer infrastructure to be a total of approximately $20 million for the project,” as reported here.
A draft of the grant application was not presented during a public meeting prior to it being submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
A copy of the 400-plus page application that was sent to HUD noted a lot of proposed items and ideas including: A commitment from the city for over $20 million in capital funds and property; market rate, moderate- to low-income units will be built by and privately managed; and a workforce component for job recruitment, training, etc.
USI, a contractor, “will review educational attendance, behavior, academic performance,” etc. and work with Craven County Schools. It says, “USI will integrate Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act consent into the case management intake process to ensure parents and caregivers voluntarily authorize the sharing of key student information for K-12 target children and youth.”
The application states “target residents, ages 18 to 64, will have wage income,” target residents attending New Bern High School will participate in at least one career-focused dual credit course, will enroll in job training at the Volt Center or a similar provider,” “target adults will complete training and be place in a demand occupation aligned with the selected career pathway,” and “target adults will be placed in employment, retain employment for at least 90 days.” Partner resources include: “First Citizens Bank, Craven Community College, Craven County Schools, Habitat for Humanity, and Baker’s Kitchen.”
The application says Development Services Director Jessica Rhue will be responsible for “organizing and monitoring the work” and calling meetings of the ‘New Bern CN Management Team,’ which will include decision-making representatives of each Implementation Entity and the City.”
Award announced
“The City of New Bern has been awarded $25,115,577 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s FY2025 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant program….,” according to Greg Murphy’s press release dated Sept. 3.
Housing Authority appointed public body
The Housing Authority commissioners have been talking about the plan for the last few years during remote meetings. Mayor Jeffrey Odham appointed his Pastor Scott Coghill (New Life); radio/reality show host and Municipal Service District Advisory Chair Sabrina Bengel (Baker’s Kitchen among other entities); Pastor Daimon L. King (New Beginnings Celebration); James Copland (Manhattan Institute); and Judy Pierce (CarolinaEast Director of Mission Effectiveness) to the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Jennell Reddick (Open Doors Academy) was appointed by former Mayor Dana Outlaw. Kimberly White is a resident commissioner. Trent Court does not have a resident council.
Housing Authority instrumentality and affiliate corporations
The NBHA executive director and commissioners also control TVC-Craven Terrace, Inc.
Better Vision Housing Corporation and BVHC Walt Bellamy are manager-managed limited liability companies, according to the articles of organization. BVHC was created when Carolina Avenue was built and BVHC Walt Bellamy was created for the three houses that the City of New Bern paid to build in 2023. Authority officials said the operational and management costs for the Walt Bellamy houses were paid with Housing Authority funds. We asked for a financial breakdown of costs but have not received a response by press time.
City of New Bern Redevelopment Commission
The Redevelopment Commission “Executive Director meets with City Management for coordination and project updates,” according to the former director’s notes. He said, “The commission’s largest strategic move in the coming year should be acquisition of properties that perpetuate blight or hinder redevelopment progress.”
About $1 million of the city’s General Fund monies have been used over the past five years on staffing, contracting, professional services and other things to build three houses for the Housing Authority; donate property for a mobile health clinic for no less than 5 years; and move and rehab a house. CDBG funds were also used for demolition, rehab and other things.
The Board of Aldermen and mayor appointed former Alderman Jameesha Harris, Kurtis Stewart, Reggie Jones, Victor J. Dove, Leander “Robbie” Morgan Jr., Steve Strickland and Tabari Wallace to the RDC. Their biographies or contact information is not available on the city’s website.
Request for comment
We reached out to the City of New Bern and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for comment and also asked if they received a notification from HUD but have not received a response by press time.
Reggie Barner responded, “Thank you for sharing. That was prior to my tenure with the agency and during this application process no lobbyist group was hired. I have never heard of Old North Strategies or have I worked with any representative of the firm.”
Food for thought
-It’s been said that residents have the right to the riverfront property after redevelopment and the authority will pay for one move. Residents have asked if they are relocated to a different location, sign a new lease and pay a deposit; will they really be able to return to the redeveloped property?
-How will conflicts of interest be managed?
-Will the meetings be open to the public?
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.