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Despite the 2008 hangover from a federal audit and public trouble getting a new development approved, The Fort Smith Housing Authority was able to outline a list of “significant accomplishments” in 2009, according to authority director Ken Pyle.

In November 2008 it was learned that the Inspector General of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development found that the authority “inappropriately placed its public housing assets at risk and could not support three procurements,” and “spent more than $108,000 on questionable costs.” However, the items were deemed minor and the measures to correct were primarily procedural.

And then Pyle and the authority wanted to build a more than $9 million single-family housing development on Williams Lane in north Fort Smith. During a March 3 meeting of the Fort Smith Board of Directors, Reva Stover spoke against the development, saying it would threaten home values and the potential for better development in the area. Stover, who spoke for the Williams Lane-Nowland Springs Neighborhood Association, urged the board to “give us a chance to see new development come” to the area rather than the low-income projects that “fall into disrepair rather speedily.”

The board voted 5-2 against the housing authority’s rezoning request needed to build the development.

But in a May 5 meeting the city board, a revamped housing authority request for the same property was approved by a 5-2 board vote.

On Tuesday (Jan. 19), Pyle released his 2009 annual report, with more than $13 million in public investments made on Fort Smith public housing projects.

Following is the complete text of Pyle’s report on accomplishments in 2009 and upcoming issues in 2010.

North Pointe I continued to be in high demand with occupancy above 95 per cent for the year. (50 units of single family and duplex houses on north 6th Street)

Demolition of Ragon Homes completed in March 2009.

North Pointe II infrastructure commenced following the demolition of Ragon Homes.

Completed over $1.5 million in repairs and improvements to Nelson Hall Homes, our 280 unit elderly and disabled public housing, including all new roofs, windows, siding, gutters, storm doors and upgrades to the HVAC systems. Nelson Hall sustained significant damage in the April 9, 2008 wind and hail storm. HUD awarded us $411,464 in Disaster Assistance funds to replace funds not received due to insurance deductibles. HUD awarded $807,459 in federal stimulus funds for the construction of four duplexes that will be fully handicapped accessible to bring us into compliance with Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, the grant also funded significant sidewalk repair/replacement and parking expansion.

Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) awarded us a $1.3 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program – 1 (NSP-1) grant to build eight single family houses on the north side of Fort Smith to replace currently abandoned, blighted or foreclosed houses with new construction. Work will commence on these in-fill houses in March 2010.

Commenced infrastructure construction at Spradling Manor, our newest Affordable Housing Program project. The development will consist of six new three-bedroom, two-bath houses on a cul de sac at 3204 Spradling Avenue.

The Housing Choice Voucher rent assistance program assisted 1237 income eligible families with their monthly rent in Fort Smith and Sebastian County. Over 98.9 per cent of the $4.88 million allocated for the program was expended in 2009.

Completion and sale of six affordable homes to income eligible families. Average sale price was $85,000. All homes were constructed with new HOME and CDBG funds awarded by the City of Fort Smith or proceeds from the sale of previous homes.

(Upcoming issues section)
Completion of four fully handicapped accessible duplexes at Nelson Hall Homes.

Application to ADFA for Low Income Housing Tax Credits to construct 57 single family homes at Clayton Heights. If awarded, construction will commence in 2011.

Construction of 14 new affordable homes for sale in 2009 using the NSP-1 grant and City of Fort Smith HOME, CDBG funds and proceeds from other home sales.

Complete infrastructure at 3204 Spradling Avenue.

North Pointe II house construction will begin in February 2010 and have 65 units of single family and duplex houses immediately adjacent to North Pointe I. Total project investment of $10.3 million.

First, I wish I could have been there at the meeting, but in my opinion after reading the article, this really didn’t help us in our cause any.

Controversy surrounding the Housing Authority’s plans will surely come up again as it has in the past, Housing Authority Commission Chairman Richard Griffin told Fort Smith city leaders Tuesday during a joint meeting of the commission and the Board of Directors.

That said, at least one director asked for a little advance warning before his phone starts ringing, while another advised the commission to resolve potentially volatile issues before coming to the board for a vote. he meeting came about as a result of the months long controversy that erupted when the Housing Authority sought a rezoning to build a mixed-income rental subdivision with duplexes in the Williams Lane neighborhood. Residents fought the development, at one point trying to have the Housing Authority’s property rezoned for large-lot development to disallow the high-density housing planned.

Read the rest of story here

A long battle came to an end Tuesday when the Fort Smith Board of Directors passed a zoning measure that favored the Housing Authority, to the disappointment of the neighborhood group that sought to keep a mixed-income subdivision off Williams Lane.

http://swtimes.com/articles/2009/05/06/news/news050609_01.txt

http://swtimes.com/articles/2009/05/06/news/news050609_01.txt

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