Wellston Housing Authority Tenants Deserve Share of HUD #108 Funds

The wrestling match over what to do with the housing authority’s units in the City of Wellston has consistently impacted the lives of population that is relying on these roofs over their heads for shelter; something we can all agree is the most impactful necessity for life. And all involved professed three significant points – most, if not all, of the units are in terrible shape; there are no resources to make the necessary repairs; and the current U.S. administration is not likely to provide federal funding for public housing any time soon.

To be perfectly clear; Wellston, one of the poorest communities in the region, has been losing population for decades, some residents don’t want to relocate; the housing authority has offer tenant vouchers, which would pay for relocation costs and certificates for the residents to live somewhere else; there is a significant unmet need for affordable housing, more specifically, permanent-affordable-housing in a community where it is desperately needed; the picture is just as bleak for employment and employment training; and the County Council has failed to pass legislation that could open up more housing opportunities for those utilizing public assistance (vouchers).

Ironically, in 2015, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) authorized St. Louis County to borrow up to $24 million under the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108). This loan program provides communities in St. Louis County with a source of financing for economic development, housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and other physical development projects, including improvements to increase resilience against natural disasters. And the funding should be subject to HUD Section 3 requirements; which requires recipients to ensure to the “greatest extent feasible” that a certain percentage of the job training, employment, and contracting opportunities that arise from the expenditure of the funds benefit low- and very-low income individuals.

Thus, the County has an opportunity to request of HUD, if necessary, to allow the $24 million in Section 108 funding to be utilized to create mixed-use developments in Wellston that addresses both the need for housing for those residents living in the housing authority units and local economic development. Tie the housing authority’s relocation vouchers to the mixed-use developments. Require the mixed-developments to undertake a strong, stringent Section 3 on-the-job-training program for the housing authority residents. And create a lease-to-own program for the rehabilitation of vacant single-family housing in the City of Wellston.

Adolphus M. Pruitt, President