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Columbia Housing Authority releases annual plan for improvement

The agency's annual plan includes strategies to help residents beyond housing and help people at risk of losing their homes.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Housing Authority's board has approved the agency’s plan for the upcoming year. Its strategies include housing more residents and improving resident services.

The plan outlines how CHA will strengthen resident relations and attract and retain landlords in the next year.

Taleshia Stewart, CHA’s senior vp of resident and strategic initiatives, said in the presentation that, "we will strengthen relationships with the people we serve by increasing mutual accountability and by improving our ability to connect them with vital services in the community that will foster economic self-sufficiency and quality of life opportunities.”

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Each year, HUD requires the authority to lay out an action plan. Stewart said this year's will help reduce homelessness. “We will expand our collaborative partnerships with county and citywide efforts to reduce the families at risk of experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing housing,” said Stewart.

The annual goals contribute to their long-term plan called Vision 2030. it revamps and expands CHA’s housing portfolio by building new complexes and remodeling existing ones. Chief Development Officer Cindy Herrera said it’ll cost over $250 million.

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“We have partnered with some of the most exciting and best affordable housing developers throughout the southeast of the country," said Herrera. The private partnerships allow them to fund the large projects that wouldn't be possible with public dollars alone.

Other strategies include helping residents achieve homeownership and partnering with law enforcement to improve safety. Now that the board has approved the annual plan, it will go to HUD for the final okay.

Once the Authority’s plan gets final approval, they’ll begin implementing the strategies this July. For a full look at the plan, click here.

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