Wednesday, March 20, 2024–5:50 p.m.
-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com.
Sewer issues in several units set aside for a program intended to create a path for homeless families to find sustainable housing are now dissolving a partnership between the United Way and Northwest Georgia Housing Authority.
In August 2023, the Rome City Commission voted to fully fund a two-year rapid rehousing pilot program intended to be a partnership, primarily between the two groups.
The plan was to find those who have completed local homeless shelter programs and graduate them to a long-term strategy of financial and social counseling to prepare them for permanent housing.
The City Commission agreed to fund the program at a cost of $355,000 a year, a total of approximately $710,000, using American Rescue Plan Act funds. Other outside entities, such as Georgia Power, also contributed significantly toward the program.
However, six months in, a letter from NWGHA Executive Director Sandra Hudson asking state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler for emergency funding ripped the band-aid off what was apparently a damaged partnership.
That letter, sent in February, sought $1.4 million to replace sewer and water infrastructure at Hannah’s Place and Willingham Village.
“United Way has started leasing 26 units to homeless individuals; however, once the individuals occupy the units, there are problems with sewage backing up in the toilets and bathtubs,” Hudson wrote. “This has occurred in several units thus far. This is an emergency situation that I hope the state can assist NWGHA with as we work within this community to house our homeless individuals. NWGHA is slow to lease the remaining 50 units at Hannah’s Place due to the aforementioned problems.”
The issues concerned older terracotta sewage pipes that have been broken or roots have infiltrated the pipe systems, Hudson wrote.
The issue, according to United Way Executive Director Alli Mitchell, is that the sewage problems at the apartments, primarily on Brookwood Avenue, aren’t new. The housing managers in the authority knew there were issues before agreeing to partner in this program, she said, but allowed them to be rented anyway.
On March 4, Mitchell notified Hudson that the letter’s assessment was correct and gave a 60-day notice that they would return seven of the 26 promised Hannah’s Place units that are a “health hazard.”
On March 6, Hudson replied in a letter to the United Way that the agreement was, essentially, an all or none. However, Hudson said they would take back those seven units and work with the United Way on the other 19.
“If United Way is holding over beyond the 60-day termination notice period, as to some of the units, NWGHA will provide a reasonable period of time for United Way to completely vacate and relinquish possession of all the units,” Hudson wrote. “United Way will still be required to pay the monthly rental amounts, as to each occupied unit, and United Way will still be responsible for the payment of utilities until the units are vacated and returned to NWGHA.”
The housing authority then took control over the seven units and Hudson indicated to the Rome News-Tribune that they would begin placing housing authority applicants in those units.
“We will rent the seven units that are being returned from United Way this week,” she wrote on March 5. “We have individuals waiting to be housed… Tree roots are a major problem. Units being vacant for over one year, water and sewer infrastructure needs to be replaced. We may need to use some developer fees and take out a small loan if this project is not funded by the state of Georgia.”
Stopgap measures
At this point, there appears to be an agreement to allow the dozen or so families working through the program currently housed in housing authority properties to remain.
It’s a stopgap measure, Mitchell said, that will allow those in the program to continue working and saving money.
“We’d like to give them as much time as they need to work through this case plan to find safe affordable housing,” Mitchell said.
Hudson said she’s willing to keep what remains of the pilot program in place and, as the director of the housing authority, do her part to let the remaining families work through the pilot program.
There’s a meeting Wednesday in the housing authority board room at 11 a.m. between the authority and several of the partners in the pilot program — including the Hospitality House, Davies Shelters and drug court. The intent is to come up with a plan to present to the City Commission.
“This is a program we definitely need,” Hudson said.
The discussion will be brought up before the full commission in the near future, Mayor Craig McDaniel said.
However, the housing authority option is likely to hit a wall in the City Commission. Several commissioners, including McDaniel, said they’re not in support of the idea of the housing authority coordinating the program.
“We’ve run into some problems with our (rapid rehousing pilot) plan,” McDaniel said. “Basically we’re going to put our plan on hold and refocus our efforts.”