Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on February 17, 2022

SOUTH BEND In what would be the first large-scale upgradeto a South Bend Housing Authority property in years, a plan has been developed to demolish both the Rabbi Shulman and Monroe Circle apartment complexes and build new public housing at the site.

Though demolition efforts still have to clear procedural hurdles and the process will require relocation for tenants, officials laud it as profound opportunity coming about because ofan influx of federalfunding and the organization's new leadership.

Weve got a lot of work ahead of us, said the Housing Authority's executive director, Catherine Lamberg. We have a monumental past reputation to overcome.

The news comes after years offinancial mismanagementand neglect of the 800 units the Housing Authority runs that house some 1,900 people in the city.

Federal inspectors in 2020 found hundreds of violations that included exposed electrical wiring, missing smoke detectors and sprinklers, bed-bug infestations and roaches. In fact, all Housing Authority properties failed their inspections in 2020. Then, agas leak at the Rabbi Shulman building in late 2020 forced more than 100 tenants to move out.

The authoritys former director,Tonya Robinson, and four other ex-employees or contractors were indicted last year on charges of defrauding the federal governmentout of millions of dollars.

The money, court records say, went to the "personal use and benefit" of the defendants including at least $1 million lost at local casinos.The money stemmed from requests to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for work on authority-run properties, according to court records.

Though tenants and their advocates generally welcome the plan to raze the two complexes and build anew, some told The Tribune they're leery about the relocation process and wonder what can be done to help residents in the interim.

Both the Monroe Circle and Rabbi Shulman apartments sit on a nine-acre plot just west of Four Winds Field. The six-story Rabbi Shulman building has 127mostly single-bedroomunits, while the Monroe Circle townhomes house a mix of 91 two- and three-bedroom units splayed out over the majority of the lot.

South Bend: From fire hazards to roaches: South Bend Housing Authority sites are among Indiana's worst

The Rabbi Shulman building became an urgent priority for the housing authority in 2020, when gas leaks caused the buildings 112 residentsto move out, with some hiccups.

While doing studies to determine the best course of action for Rabbi Shulman and the Monroe townhomes,the Housing Authority found that both complexes are obsolete and that it would be cheaper to demolish the properties and rebuild new units, rather than renovate.

We pretty much found Monroe Circle is equally as troubled, physically, as Rabbi Shulman, Lamberg said. It can make a significant difference in this community and this area to couple those two together for redevelopment.

Demolition and relocation efforts are at least months away, as the timeline and scope of the project are still being worked out,Lamberg says.

Before demolition can begin, the Housing Authority needs approval from HUD, which will take at least two months. In the meantime, the authority is partnering with developers McCormack, Baron and Salazar to determine what to build in place of the old units.

We know redevelopment is going to occur. What it will be is undetermined at this point, Lamberg said.

Lambergs current goal is to build back 300 units while maintaining the green spaces the Monroe Circle apartments currently have, though meetings with developers should flesh out specifics.

McCormack, Baron and Salazar did not return a message requesting an interview.

For residents andadvocates, the need to tear down the Monroe Circle buildings is apparent.

Shaque' Boyd has lived in the complex for four years and has had problems with cockroaches and mice over the past 18 months. With her fourth child on the way, Boyd said she's looking to moveout long before renovations get underway.

"I shouldn't have to live like this, especially in public housing," she said, adding that a teardown of the units should have already happened.

Rodney Gadson, president of the South Bend Tenant Association, feels relocating another set of low-income tenants is far from ideal, noting a series of issues that popped up while he worked with residents moving out of Rabbi Shulman.

Indiana: Former South Bend Housing Authority director and 4 others indicted on fraud charges

Gadson agreed with Boyd that the conditions at Monroe Circle have been bad for years and questioned whether theauthorityis taking enough immediate steps to help residents.

I understand your long-term goal that you want to tear down the buildings and rebuild them and get affordable housing, Gadson said. But what wasnt said was what are you doing in the immediate term?

South Bend Mayor James Mueller, lamented the years of neglect by past Housing Authority administrations, but said he supports Lambergs vision for new units on the lot.

Obviously relocating, we take that seriously, but that cant be the reason not to have these new units come online, Mueller said.

Lamberg said residents have been informed they will likely need to move at some point in the future and added that any Monroe Circle tenants who wish to return to the new units once they arecompleted will be able to do so.

As of December, 71 of Monroe Circles 91 units were occupied and Lamberg said there are enough vacant units at other Housing Authority properties to accommodate Monroe Circle tenants if they choose that option. The authority plans to provide rent vouchers for residents who choose to go elsewhere.

Relocation is not a day exercise, its not a one-size-fits-all, everybody goes here type of thing, Lamberg said.

Though the total cost of the project wont be determined for some time, officials will be looking at a number of financing options for the construction, including tax credits, federal grants and American Recovery Plan funds.

Well look far and wide. Well look high and low. Well put together a funding structure to accommodate the replacement of these developments, Lamberg said.

Officials willbe closely watching to see if President Joe Bidens Build Back Better infrastructure bill passes Congress, as it would create more funding for housing projects.

Mueller also said the city will consider offering the Housing Authority a portion of its federal stimulusmoney.

I would say that we want to see the project succeed and well keep working with the Housing Authority to find the right balance and work to get the funding streams necessary to make things happen, Mueller said.

In order to accommodate the expected construction, the authoritys board formed a nonprofit organization, South Bend Affordable Housing Corp last year. Lamberg said creating a nonprofit is a common practice when undertaking construction projects because Housing Authorities are not allowed to take on debt.

Meanwhile, Henry Turner, aMonroe Circle resident for more than a decade, said that while a move might be difficult for some, it's the best thing for tenantsgiven problems with lead poisoning and the quality of the water in the units.

"This is an excellent, great idea," Turner said. "They can get rid of some of the buildings with lead paint. It'll be healthier for the kids."

Email Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@sbtinfo.com. Follow him on Twitter:@marek_mazurek

Continued here:

South Bend Housing Authority plans to tear down 2 long-troubled sites, build new housing - South Bend Tribune

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