The Peoria Housing Authority will consider the potential ways and means for the redevelopment of Taft Homes next month.
The working group will offer the board scenarios to replace the barracks-style housing complex near Peoria’s Riverfront. Brenda Coates is the executive director of the P.H.A.. She says it’s a HUD requirement to have comparable relocation for those living in the 216 Taft units.
Coates says the authority is looking at options for 50-unit sites. “50 is a number that could be easily managed, or where we could afford maybe at least one person on site as opposed to scattered sites throughout the community which are very difficult and challenging to manage.”
Coates says the idea will be to locate some of the new sites outside of the 61603 and 05 area codes where Taft Homes is coupled with a high poverty rate.
Coats says at least some of the Taft Property will be used to leverage funding for obtaining and building new sites.