The Housing Authority of the City of Spartanburg (SHA) received a HOPE VI Grant from The U

Project Descriptions

Background

On July 8, 2004, The Housing Authority of the City of Spartanburg (SHA) received its second HOPE VI grant of $20 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This grant was a result of the proposal to demolish, the 184 units at Phyllis Goins, a severely blighted housing project that has caused serious distress to the residents and surrounding neighborhood, and redevelop the site as a mixed-income community. As part of this HOPE VI project, SHA is constructing over 662 rental and homeownership units, which will further the revitalization of twelve neighborhoods. The $20 million in HOPE VI funds will leverage private dollars, approximately 4 for 1, for a total project development cost of over $100 million. These funds will revitalize the entire Southside of Spartanburg, and will spur revitalization of the neighboring areas.

Site	Total number of units	Date units will be available
Victoria Gardens Homeownership	14	Now available
Shaw/Wilmont Homeownership	17	Now available
Country Garden Estates Homeownership	21	Now available
Cedar Springs Townhomes Rental	44	Now available
Cedar Springs Place Rental	48	11/01/07
Collins Park Rental (aka Phyllis Goins)	100	04/01/07
Collins Park Homeownership (aka Phyllis Goins)	36	10/01/07
Cottage Grove (aka Little Camp Croft Rental)	8	11/01/07
The Ridge at Southport (Page Rental)	78	04/01/08
Forest Park Homeownership	18	11/01/07
Twin Springs (aka Chesnee Rental)	20	09/01/07
Page Homeownership	151	03/01/08
Summer Place Rental (aka Hub City Courts)	53	11/01/07
Woodworth Homes Rental	54	03/01/08
TOTAL	662

In addition to the HOPE VI projects, the Housing Authority has completed or is in the process of renovating three additional apartment communities. These communities include Victoria Gardens Apartments, Camp Croft, and Archibald Rutledge. At the remaining communities, the Housing Authority is completing exterior improvements including roofing and landscaping.

The projects listed in the table above are described in more detail below.

Victoria Gardens Homeownership

The City donated 14 lots to the Housing Authority’s non-profit developer, Spartanburg Housing Development, on Aden and Fremont Streets in the Victoria Gardens neighborhood to construct new homes. Victoria Gardens, is an evolving community, located off of South Church Street, conveniently located only minutes from Downtown, I-26, and I-85. The community is a master-planned community with sidewalks throughout offering shaded lots and traditional style homes with modern amenities. The houses are near Chapel Street Park, Cleveland Park, and the new Community Center and Computer Lab. The neighborhood is in close proximity to schools, churches, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. These houses are currently all under contract or occupied.

Shaw Wilmont Homeownership

The City donated 17 lots to SHA on Shaw and Wilmont Streets in the Forest Park neighborhood to construct 17 new homes. These lots are located in a strong established neighborhood, new high-quality houses will provide homeownership opportunities for qualified families that may have not been able to purchase in this neighborhood. These houses border Fairforest Creek and the area proposed for golf course development. Thus far, six houses has been built and sold. The remaining houses are now under construction.

Country Garden Estates Homeownership

Nine houses have been constructed and sold at Country Garden Estates. Country Garden Estates is a 43 acre site located in Spartanburg County, near major employment centers, schools, shopping, and entertainment. This site was part of SHA’s first HOPE VI project, Tobias Booker Hartwell Campus of Learners. The Country Gardens Estates site contains 50 rental units and 24 additional three-bedroom single-family homes.

Cedar Springs Townhomes Rental

Cedar Springs Townhomes is located at 150 Cedar Springs Place, which is off Cedar Springs Road (SC 56) in Spartanburg County, immediately outside the City limits. The project includes the purchase and rehabilitation of 44 exisiting apartments units. The units are all two bedroom and one and one-half bathrooms. All units will be easily adapted to accommodate hearing and sight-impaired individuals. The proximity to the South Carolina School for the Deaf, Blind and Multihandicapped makes the location of this property an attractive one for employees and other potential residents who would wish to live close to the School. The location of Cedar Springs Place, just south of SC Highway 295, provides access to jobs, shopping, and community services. It is minutes away from Spartanburg’s main shopping district, including Westgate Mall and Dorman Center. So far 18 units have been renovated and the contractor is starting on the remaining units.

Cedar Springs Place Rental

Cedar Springs Place will consist of one apartment building with 48 elderly one-bedroom LIHTC units, 19 of these units will be public housing, and the other 29 will be assisted units. The multi-story building will have two elevators. The project includes a management office, two laundry facilities, an exercise room, a computer room, and a community meeting room. The new units are immediately adjacent to and easily accessible to The South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB). The SCSDB plays an important role in Spartanburg, serving students with special needs and employing over 500 people. It is one of the largest employers in Spartanburg County. Many of the employees and alumni are hearing and/or sight impaired and are in need of safe, sanitary, and affordable housing within a short distance of their place of work and extended services.

Spartanburg Leased Housing Corporation (SLHC) partnered with the Aiken Housing Authority to develop this site. Funding sources include 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Federal Home Loan Bank AHP funds, SC State Housing Development and Finance Authority HOME funds, County HOME funds, and private construction funding. The project will receive HUD housing choice voucher allocations through project-based rental assistance for 29 units and an additional 19 will be ACC public housing units. Construction is anticipated to start in summer of 2007.

Collins Park (Phyllis Goins) Rental and Homeownership

The nucleus of the overall project is the redevelopment of Phyllis Goins, a severely distressed 184 unit-barrack-style 1950s, public housing project, once infested with crime and non-functional housing units. The Spartanburg Housing Authority (SHA) has demolished Phyllis Goins and is in the process of building a new mixed-income community, renamed Collins Park, with 100 rental units and 36 homeownership units. The rental portion of this site will be complete by Fall 2007. The homeownership units will pre-sold. The neighboring Recreation Center, CC Woodson, will be renovated in phases over the next three years by the City, the Housing Authority, and a number of other local partners. Plans for the CC Woodson Community Recreation Center include an 8,000 sq. ft addition for meeting rooms, a library, a teen center, gymnasium expansion and renovation.

Cottage Grove (Little Camp Croft) Rental

The Housing Authority has demolished the units at Little Camp Croft located at the corner of Caulder Avenue and Duncan Streets. In summer of 2007, eight duplex apartments will be built on site with new landscaping.

Forest Park Homeownership

The City of Spartanburg has committed to redevelop the Forest Park neighborhood, located across the street from Phyllis Goins. The City is undertaking an $8 million redevelopment project in this neighborhood. Forest Park has a number of substandard houses, vacant properties, and a high rate of crime. Acquisition and relocation began in 2004. The City has partnered with SHA to construct over 18 new homes in Forest Park for low- to moderate-income homebuyers. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2007 in this neighborhood.

The Ridge at Southport (Page) Rental and Homeownership

The 150 acre Page property, located in Spartanburg County, will be developed with a range of housing types, including apartments, condominiums, and single family homeownership. Using the principles of traditional neighborhood development, this new community will be a mixed-use development, featuring a total of 480 new housing units bringing in 1,440 new residents, as well as 65,000 sq ft of retail and commercial and 10,000 sq.ft. of civic uses. This project has spurred the construction of the proposed Matthew C. Perry Parkway that will connect downtown Spartanburg to 295. This arterial will be highly traveled and will generate business for the retail area. The construction of the housing units, the new retail and commercial development, will spur further public and private investment that will provide more economic opportunities. The master plan for this development capitalizes on the natural beauty of the site, preserving green space and natural features. The first phase of development will be 78 apartment units along Sims Chapel Road. The Page Lake property is located within the ReGenesis project area. This site was selected because of the potential partnerships with other non-profits and government agencies, as well as new access to prospective residents and retailers. Tying HOPE VI and ReGenesis Economic Development Organization activities together was significant due to ReGenesis’ history and ability to pool federal, state, and local resources. This project will begin in Fall 2007.

Twin Springs (Chesnee) Homeownership

In 2007, 20 units will be constructed in a small community in Chesnee. This project is funded by a RDA 515 loan, rent subsidy, and housing trust funds.

Summerplace (Hub City) Rental

The new Summer Place community is located minutes from Spartanburg’s Downtown Business District and is near millions of dollars in investment in surrounding redevelopment areas. Hub City Courts is a piece in the larger strategic development plan to change the dynamics of this western portion of the City. The location of Summer Place provides access to jobs, shopping, community services and events. The demolition and development of 53 new apartments will spur the transformation of the surrounding neighborhoods, where the City and Spartanburg Housing Authority are undertaking major revitalization efforts. This project will begin Fall 2007.

Woodworth Homes Rental

The Housing Authority is demolishing the existing Woodworth Homes apartments. With acquisition and demolition of select properties in this area, the Housing Authority has a master plan for a new development of 54 apartments. This will complement the development at Summerplace (Hub City) and significantly change the west side of Spartanburg. Construction is anticipated in Spring 2008.

Initiatives

Mary H. Wright/Southside Learning Center Renovation

Spartanburg School District 7 donated the historic Mary H. Wright elementary school building to the Housing Authority. The Housing Authority is renovating the building as an urban office complex. The Authority’s offices will be in the building, along with other complementary tenants.

Homeownership Resource Center

Spartanburg Housing Development (SHD), the Housing Authority’s non-profit affiliate will runs the Homeownership Resource Center. Together with the City, County, and area non-profits, SHD offers a comprehensive menu of services at the HRC to City and County residents. The Homeownership Center (HRC) is a one-stop location, providing free services, including debt management, budgeting, credit report review, housing education, financial planning, and foreclosure prevention. The Homeownership Resource Center also offers free Homebuyer Education Classes. Contact 864.596.HOME (4663) or visit homeinspartanburg.org

Local Minority and Women-owned Business Recruitment

SHA has partnered with ReGenesis to host job fairs and business training. SHA has a goal to achieve a minimum level of 30 percent minority and female business participation in the broadest spectrum of services. SHA encourages minority and woman-owned firms to apply, and seeks a similar commitment from the entity selected to carry out the services described in this package.

Matthew C. Perry Parkway

The Matthew C. Perry Parkway/Collins Avenue Realignment project is located in the southside of Spartanburg, extending from SC Route 295 to South Church Street (US 221). The purpose of the new roadway is to provide improved access to existing residents and businesses to ensure the safety of southside families and to enhance economic opportunity in this area. Improved intersections will handle the increased traffic flow, reducing accidents. The construction of pedestrian connections and bike lanes will allow a safe route for alternative modes of transportation.