Oak Ridge renovates 70 units for affordable housing
The Tennessee Housing Development Agency joined the Oak Ridge Housing Authority (ORHA) last Thursday, Nov. 5, to celebrate the rehabilitation of 70 housing units at four Oak Ridge sites, now known as the Secret City Collective. In an emailed response to The Oak Ridger's questions, Maria Catron, who leads the Oak Ridge Housing Authority and Oak Ridge Community Development Corp., said the 70 residences on Joel Lane, LaSalle Road, Irene Lane and Van Hicks Road have been renovated, while exterior landscaping and paving are being completed. The 70 housing units were formerly public housing, she said, but are now "affordable housing units with project-based Section 8 assistance." Each rehabilitation project includes updates such as new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, roof replacement, flooring upgrades and aesthetic enhancements within each unit, as well as renovations to site amenities to help preserve affordable housing and improve residents’ quality of life, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) explained in a news release. The project was financed in part through low-income housing tax credits previously awarded by THDA. In addition, ORHA will continue its partnership with Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services to provide mental and behavioral health services to residents through the Horizons Peer
