PEORIA, Ill. – The CEO of the Peoria Housing Authority stood in front of the city council Tuesday night looking for support for developments at Taft Homes.
The CEO, Jackie Newman, said the PHA wants support from the city council as they apply to the state for the tax credit funding.
“As we began our journey here in Peoria 20 months ago, we came of course at the request of the PHA board and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist Peoria Housing Authority transition itself from a troubled status with the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” Newman said.
The process would include relocating the families currently residing at Taft Homes with vouchers, that would let them live at a different establishment during construction.
“They will not have to [pay] any relocation costs, we are required under this process to relocate our families and to pay for those expenses. We will offer families opportunities to relocate in units the Peoria Housing Authority already owns,” Newman said.
Newman said they help the families with that process.
Councilwoman Denise Moore said she fully supports the effort.
“It’s been a long time coming. In the seven years I’ve been on this council there’s been a lot of starts and stops, but it appears that you (PHA) have a good board of directors who are over seeing this process,” Moore said.
However, some council members felt that more public input would be beneficial.
Councilman Zach Olyer said he wants to hear more comments from the community before approving.
“I just really want to insure that the effort is put in to getting neighborhood input, whether that be residential or business input, and community input into what this looks like and how it fits so that we have a successful product at the end of the day,” Oyler said.
Councilwoman Beth Jensen echoed Oyler’s statement of more input from the public.
Newman said that public meetings can be held for the community to give their thoughts about the project.
Councilman Tim Riggenbach said it is embarrassing to be labeled as a troubled agency.
“I think it is critical that we focus on how we can collaborate because clearly the finger pointing and the he said, she said, isn’t getting us to provide the housing that the residents of the Taft deserve,” Riggenbach said.
The council approved to support the Peoria Housing Authority 8-2, with council members Jensen and Oyler voting no, to hear more public input.
To apply through the state in March, the PHA did not require an approval from the Peoria City Council, but they were asked to provide a presentation to gain the council’s support for the project.
