The Peoria Housing Authority is asking for the City’s help in finding suitable property for replacing the Taft Homes.
The Housing Authority held divisive community meetings earlier this year after identifying three potential properties. It’s looking to replace the 216 apartments in Taft with five or six new apartment complexes throughout the city.
The Housing Authority met with the Peoria City Council on the subject last night. More than 100 people attended the meeting. Seven people spoke during the public comment period. Jennifer Hutsell also presented a petition with more than 520 signatures denouncing the use of the vacant property on Brandywine Drive:
“Many of the individuals on these pages are frustrated and angry. They are having the same conversation my husband and I are having. Do we stay and wait it out or move now and avoid the rush to get out of the city of Peoria. Like us they are holding off on home remodeling projects and not putting money into their home until Brandywine is no longer a threat.”
The Peoria City Manager says the city will ask for a meeting with a HUD representative to better understand placement requirement for decentralizing poverty. The city also committed to educating residents on the realities of the situation and doing what it can to come up with a workable solution.