Housing GSO: HRA Greensboro Affordable Housing Plan

AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOMES

PARTNER ON HOUSING AUTHORITY REDEVELOPMENT | Recommendation – Smith Homes Redevelopment

Smith Homes is the final public housing development in GHA’s portfolio in need of RAD conversion. GHA anticipates construction will span four phases, beginning in 2021. During this time, between 40-120 households at a time will need to be relocated, and several major infrastructure updates must also be completed. The City should fund a portion of required road, sewage, and water infrastructure upgrades at the Smith Homes site. Most roadways within the Smith Homes subdivision require major repairs to reach an acceptable condition. Additional work may also be required to update sewage and water lines to meet redevelopment needs. GHA does not have the resources required to manage these repairs, so the City should step up to fund repairs that fall within its purview through coordination among Greensboro’s NDD, Water Resources, and Field Operations departments. GHA should simultaneously ensure it is strengthening support provided to residents throughout the Smith Homes redevelopment process. Relocation is a very disruptive process, so GHA should go beyond

minimum HUD standards for relocation to ensure current Smith Homes residents are set up for success in their move. This could be achieved by establishing a partnership with a third-party relocation entity. For Smith Homes, the City and GHA should partner to cover required infrastructure updates and determine standards for resident-focused support. The City and GHA should work together to outline goals and codify agreed responsibilities through a memorandum of understanding.

Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) Program The CNI program may represent a good source of funding for the redevelopment of the Smith Homes site. GHA and the City of Greensboro could partner to develop a strong proposal for the Smith Homes site in the next CNI funding cycle. CNI leverages significant public and private dollars to support locally driven strategies to address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public housing. CNI is focused on three core goals: 1. Housing: Replace distressed public housing with high-quality mixed-income housing that is well-managed and responsive to the needs of the surrounding neighborhood; 2. People: Improve outcomes of households living in the target housing related to employment and income, health, and children’s education; and 3. Neighborhood: Create the conditions necessary for public and private reinvestment in distressed neighborhoods.

Smith Homes Redevelopment Anticipated Phasing Phase One: 80 units (2021) Phase Two: 115 units

Phase Three: 108 units Phase Four: 44 units

HR&A Advisors, Inc.

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