Work on Churchill Park progressing
Jul. 11—The Housing Authority of Owensboro is on schedule to complete the $53 million Churchill Park project, which includes entire renovations of some buildings and the construction of new, accessible units for people with disabilities.
Shauna Boom, the housing authority's executive director, said Monday residents are moving into the renovated apartments as they are completed, and the new buildings are expected to open in the first part of 2024.
The project will be completed by September of next year, Boom said.
"It is moving right along," Boom said. "We are definitely on schedule and are progressing.
"We are taking applications, because we will start pulling from the waiting lists quickly."
The project includes changing the neighborhood's name from Rolling Heights to Churchill Park.
The apartments are being completely renovated, with new flooring, appliances, kitchen and bathrooms. The buildings that were not torn down were essentially gutted for the renovation process, with the occupants of those apartments relocated until the new apartments are ready.
The accessible apartments, which were built new, will range from one bedroom up to four bedrooms.
The Housing Authority is funding the project through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. The program allows private investors to buy the tax credits, which fund the work. Those investors then receive a tax credit for 10 years after the work is complete.
Boom said the renovated apartments are being leased to tenants as they become ready, which is required by law.
"We already have had a number of units come online that people living here have already been transferred to," Boom said.
The project is "right at budget," she said. Some of the funding will be used to make repairs to water and sewer lines in the neighborhoods.
"We are going to invest some money in that infrastructure, so it will still be there years from now," Boom said.
People with a need for accessible housing will be given priority when the new, accessible buildings open next year.
"Our (waiting) lists are abnormally small for our housing authority, because we are housing people as fast as we can," Boom said.
People seeking subsidized housing can apply online at the Housing Authority's website, owensborohousing.org, or can apply by picking up an application at the office at 2161 East 19th St.
When the last units are complete in September of next year, "by October 1, all of those units will be occupied," Boom said.
