COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) board approved spending $1.1 million on renovating their central office located at 1917 Harden Street.
The funds to pay for the project are coming out of their housing choice voucher administration reserves. That money is a reimbursement from the federal government each month the authority receives for every person in their voucher program.
The fund has around $1.3 million dollars in it and can only go toward specific projects, which was explained during a special called meeting held on Thursday via Zoom.
"Administrative fee reserves may not be used for Low Rent Public Housing (PH) development activities, PH maintenance, or PH funding shortfalls, nor may they be loaned to other PHA programs," Columbia Housing Authority Director Ivory Mathews said.
The plans for the renovation include a roof replacement, HVAC systems, security improvements, asbestos remediation and more, plus upgrades to make residents feel more welcome.
“The current office situation doesn’t always lend itself to a warm or welcoming situation," CHA Senior Vice President of Development Cindi Herrera said.
Herrera said the central office building was built in 1986 but has never been renovated.
While the vote was almost unanimous, board member Georgia Mjartan strongly disagreed.
“I certainly understand the administrative building is in need of significant renovations and I don’t question that assessment or the fact the roof leaks or there are HVAC problems, and staff are in places that are not appropriate. I understand that, but I strongly believe we have to prioritize and I strongly believe we have to put our community and residents first," Mjartan said.
Meanwhile another board member, Anne Sinclair, said she is all for the renovations and voted yes.
"I am very much pro-resident, I think we are fortunate to have this administrative money that can be used on this building that will also make residents feel good when they walk in the door," Sinclair said.
The board also discussed other projects that are being funding by a different pool of money, including the demolition of the abandoned Allen Benedict Court apartments. That’s set to be finished in October.
Resident relocation for the Marion Street High Rise apartments is set to begin in April.
The renovations on the administration building is estimated to start in May.
CHA announced they will use Columbia-based company G&C General Contractors, owned by Pervis Gibson to complete the work. G&C General Contracting is a minority-owned firm. Herrera says they are excited that a local minority-owned firm has been selected for the work.