RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority stands accused by some residents of pressuring them to relocate.
Residents say the relocation sites are less than idea as well, with Gilpin Court housing cited as the solution for residents.
RRHA homes are scattered throughout the city, mixed-in with privately owned homes.
“It’s like we were intimidated to just move,” says 65-year old, Charlene Harris, after finding out that the RRHA had plans to shutter her home. Harris has lived there for more than fo ur decades.
RRHA’s interim CEO, Maxine Cholmondeley says scattered site homes are becoming a burden. “They are costly to maintain, costly to repair and costly to operate,” says Cholmondeley.
Harris tells CBS 6, she isn’t sure where the cost comes in for RRHA because they haven’t upgraded her home in years. “I have cracks here that they took pictures of to come and fix since the earthquake,” says Harris.
Cholmondeley says this is just a proposal and if the plan is wins approval from the Board of Commissioners, residents like Harris won’t be left on the streets. Instead, they’ll be moved to more traditional public housing like Gilpin Court.
CBS 6 spoke with councilman, Marty Jewel and he says moving residents back to areas like Gilpin Court goes against the city’s plan to do away with traditional public housing communities.
Click on the video above for Lorenzo Hall's full report.
