- April 18, 2024
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The houses owned by the Ormond Beach Housing Authority are still in need of repair. File photo
The City Commission voted at a November meeting to waive a payment of $26,578.69 from the Ormond Beach Housing Authority. The city has an agreement with the OBHA that it make an annual payment to the city instead of paying property tax.
OBHA provides housing to those who are income eligible.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the waiver, but Commissioner Troy Kent told the Housing Authority executive director, Caroline Riviere, that he might not vote in favor of a waiver if it comes up again, saying a change should be made so that waivers would not be requested again in the future. He pointed that in 1993, the commission waived an outstanding payment and the OBHA was six years in arrears in 2011 before making a payment.
In January 1993, the City Commission waived six years of payments totaling $17,760. The OBHA was again six years behind in November 2011 at which time they made the full payment due of $57,241.51 for fiscal years 2003/04 through 2008/09. The OBHA was three years in arrears when it made a payment of $23,705.96 in October 2013 for fiscal years 2009/10 through 2011/12.
Currently, the Ormond Beach Housing Authority has not made payments for 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the total amount due is $26,578.69.
Riviere wrote a recent letter to the city outlining usages for the money, including 20 doors, 39 metal utility doors, an aluminum fence and repaving five driveways. Roofs have been repaired in recent years. The OBHA units are on Ramsey Terrace, New Britain Avenue, South Washington Street and Flormond Avenue.
“We’re focused on upgrading the properties.”
REV. Willie Branch, Housing Authority commissioner
Commissioner Rick Boehm supported waiving the fee, saying that there could not be a better use for the money than what the Housing Authority proposed to do with it.
Mayor Ed Kelley thanked Riviere for the job that she had done and stated that perhaps the City Commission can look for a way to keep the issue from continually coming up. He said he believes the Housing Authority is underfunded.
After the meeting, Riviere said the authority receives funds annually from Housing and Urban Development for capital project.
“It’s never enough to cover the needs,” she said.
One problem, she said, is that by the time money is received from HUD for a specified project, the costs have gone up.
The Rev. Willie Branch, commissioner on the Housing Authority Board, said the housing was neglected before Riviere joined the authority in 2013.
“We’re focused on upgrading the properties,” he said.
Branch also said HUD has cut spending in recent years.
