Tuxedo Court renewal pushed
Housing authority seeks $20 million HUD grant to build new units, homes

January 8, 2004

BARNETT WRIGHT
Birmingham News staff writer


The Birmingham Housing Authority will submit a federal HOPEVI application by Jan. 20 to raze and rebuild the Tuxedo Court public housing community in Ensley.

The housing authority board voted on Wednesday to approve the application. Officials said they hope to hear in March from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Last year HUD did not include Birmingham in its list of 28 cities awarded $494 million in HOPEVI funds.

Jim Brooks, an Atlanta based consultant who helped the authority apply for the grant, said that an updated plan could help the city get the funds this year.

Brooks said the plan has been refined to include small parks throughout the community and a larger park with walking and bike trails that connect the area of Tuxedo Junction to Bush Middle school, Ensley High School and Ensley Park.

"We've had another year to work on it," said Brooks. "It's a more exciting plan. It encompasses a broader plan to help revitalize the entire area."

Tuxedo Court, which was built in the 1950s, has 488 units. In addition to the newly added parks, the proposal calls for replacing the existing units with 110 rental units for public housing residents and 110 rental homes for low-income families. Also, 86 homes would be built and sold.

Brooks said the overall plan would cost $55 million and include $20 million of federal funds. He said the authority will ask the city of Birmingham to pitch in $9.4 million for infrastructure improvements.

Other funding would include $1.2 million from the housing authority, $4 million in tax exempt bonds, $8.2 million in tax credit equity and $12 million in homeowner mortgages, he said.

The stated objective of HOPEVI is to help reduce poverty in blighted public housing communities by mixing subsidized residents with people of all incomes in a revitalized community.

Ralph Ruggs, executive director of the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, said he was impressed with Wednesday's presentation.

"We feel very positive," he said. "We think our chances of being funded are enhanced based on the revisions."

In other business, the board voted to override a recommendation by housing authority staff and award a security services contract to a minority company that rated the lowest on a scoring summary.

"Our staff's recommendation was to award to the highest rated proposal at a cost that was lower and the board decided to award to Sanguard, which was the lowest rated proposal, at a cost higher," said Ruggs.

According to an evaluation presented to the board, Eagle Security scored highest at 87.33 out of a possible 100 points, Culpepper Security scored 83.33, Securitas Security Services 73.67 and Sanguard Securities Services 68.67.

Eagle's projected two-year cost of $697,705 for the security work in Collegeville was lower than Sanguard's projected cost of $783,619, according to the evaluation.

Housing board member Bertram Orum said the projected cost wasn't that much different between the two firms.

"We've been trying to expand the role of minority contractors within the housing authority and that process has been very slow moving," he said.