Richmond gets $10.8 million grant for public-housing projects

By: Dave Ress | Times-Dispatch
Published: March 14, 2009

Richmond gets grant for public housing RRHA will use $10.8 million in stimulus funds to renovate, fix units over next three years

More than $10 million of renovations and repairs to Richmond's public-housing projects got on a fast track yesterday after the city's housing authority won a grant from the federal economic-stimulus program.

The $10.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development comes on top of regular funding from Washington for work on Richmond's public-housing projects, some of which are more than 60 years old, and is more than twice the level of recent annual payments.

"We're now able to accelerate scheduled work," said Anthony Scott, executive director of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

He said the authority had been planning to do the projects over the next two to five years but can now get to the jobs faster.

The authority will spend the money during the next three years. This year's projects include replacing the windows at Creighton, Whitcomb and Mosby courts with more energy-efficient ones. Also this year, the authority will repair termite damage and replace siding at the Fulton apartments, install an elevator at the 1202 Decatur St. apartments, upgrade heating units at the 700 S. Lombardy St. apartments, replace boilers in Gilpin Court and replace siding at the Afton Avenue apartments.

Next year will come kitchen and bathroom renovations at Creighton Court, Fulton and Decatur Street; with a comprehensive modernization the year after that at the Randolph apartments, as well as foundation work at Fulton.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones said the money will give a much-needed boost to the area economy.

"This could not have come at a more opportune time," Jones said.

Scott said he expects the work will create jobs for hundreds of public-housing residents, though he said it is too early to say how many jobs the grant will generate.

He expects work will begin within 120 days.

Contact David Ress at (804) 649-6051 or dress@timesdispatch.com.