Rhea County Executive Jim Vincent advised the commission Tuesday night that the application for a grant to construct a mixed income housing development in the Morgantown community is advancing.
The Rhea County Commission set the project into motion in a partnership with Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency (SETHRA).
“HUD (Housing and Urban Development) said this is the best application that they have gotten so far this year,” said County Executive Vincent.
Rachel Hackworth with SETHRA appeared before the commission last month at the request of County Executive Vincent to explain the grant they will be seeking to build a total of 12 units, including two-bedroom and one-bedroom units. This will be on county property at 215 Old School Road, which is a vacant lot.
Ms. Hackworth said that these units will target individuals and families with moderate to low income. Most of them will be for veterans and families that include veterans who are disabled on low fixed incomes who are at the greatest risk of housing instability; and low and extremely low income individuals and families, particularly those with disabilities and experiencing homelessness.
Ms. Hackworth added that studies show that low-income residents in mixed-income housing often have better educational, health, and economic outcomes compared to those in areas of concentrated poverty. Income diversity tends to attract more community investments and fosters a sense of ownership, which can increase neighborhood safety and decrease crime. A mix of income levels within a community can create a stable customer base and workforce base for local businesses, supporting economic growth and job creation, she said. Mixed-income housing can contribute to higher property values, especially in areas previously impacted by disinvestment or blight.
County Executive Vincent said recently the city of Dayton Housing Authority has agreed to give their housing vouchers to SETHRA to use in the venture. The housing vouchers make up the difference of what low-income persons can pay for housing rent. “This makes it really good for our community and I really appreciate the Dayton Housing Authority for doing this,” he said and urged the cCommission members to be sure and thank those board members.
SETHRA submitted the grant in late November to HUD, which says it expects to fund only 25 applications in the entire United States this year.
“SETHRA thinks it looks really good for us,” said County Executive Vincent. He said the federal government has approved the application but has not yet funded it.
Chairman Jim Reed added since this is going forward, the County Commission needs to look at building a new fire hall on the five acres area of Old School Street.
The current fire hall in the Morgantown area was built back in the 1980’s and is not large enough to house currently made fire trucks. The county has plans to possibly turn the old firehouse into a rehab facility for women.