- February 24, 2025
Low income housing needs repairs after period of neglect, officials say.
Wayne Grant
Staff Writer
Caroline Riviere, executive director of the Ormond Beach Housing Authority, made a plea with the City Commission on March 17 to waive the annual payment to the city for 2013 and 2014 so the agency will have enough money to make repairs on the properties. The amount would be about $15,000.
The OBHA is a Housing and Urban Development institution that provides housing for low income families. The payment that would be waived is called PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes. Rather than pay property taxes, OBHA makes an annual payment to the city.
Riviere told the officials that the agency is getting a Community Development Block Grant for roof repairs on the facility at Washington Street, along with matching funds from HUD, but they have two other roofs that “are in a bad state.”
Other needs cited are sidewalks within the properties and outdoor lighting.
“We have no sidewalks on our properties. None at all,” she said.
Mayor Ed Kelley thanked Riviere for her leadership in “turning around” the housing.
“Under your direction, the money is getting to those who need it,” he said.
He instructed City Manager Joyce Shanahan to meet with Riviere and create a list of needed repairs. The commissioners will consider the list at a future meeting and decide whether or not to approve the waiver of the payment.
After the meeting, Rev. Willie Branch, chairman of the housing authority board, said the reason the buildings were in such bad shape is they had been neglected by previous administrations at the OBHA.
“We’ve already purchased new cabinets and sinks for the properties,” he said. “The ones in there were from the 1950s.”
Riviere took over in 201, and Branch said it’s a “new day” at the agency.
“Our main concern is getting clients better living conditions,” he said. “They have been ignored too long.”
He said it’s important to inspire people to improve themselves and get back on their feet.
“You want to break the stigma of poverty and break that mindset in the tenants,” he said.
In addition to roofs, he said he would like to see playgrounds added and flooring updated in the units. Also, some improvements need to be made to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act.
He said even the fees are waived, there would not be enough money to make all of the desired improvements.
The OBHA has four buildings on four streets: New Britain Avenue, Washington Street, Ramsey Terrace and Flormond Avenue. There are a variety of apartment sizes from one to three bedrooms, and there are currently 41 families.
In January 1993, the OBHA was six years in arrears on making PILOT payments. At that time, the City Commission waived all outstanding payments due, totaling $17,760. In later years, the OBHA often fell behind in payments, but eventually made them, until 2013.
