Affordable Housing in a Growing City
With a population increase of 400 percent and tremendous economic growth since 2012, good quality affordable housing in McKinney has become an increasingly vital need to the city. In this case, thanks to the Rental Assistance Demonstration, that needed affordable housing is on the way. Through RAD, the McKinney Housing Authority has been able to preserve 150 units of affordable housing, with an investment of over $30 million in order to improve the McKinney community.
This photo essay highlights the preservation of 150 units of affordable housing through the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) of the former Merritt Homes Apartments, a McKinney Housing Authority (MHA) property in McKinney, Texas. It features stories of the improvements made to the lives of its residents and to the community through RAD.
Time for Change
“There just wasn’t a way to make it work without it (RAD). Without RAD, these projects would not have happened.” — Will Henderson, Director of Affordable Housing at Carleton Companies
Since Roslyn Miller started working at the Housing Authority, she has been pushing tirelessly to create change and to redevelop Merritt, as well as other MHA properties. She immediately addressed issues like lead-based paint and lack of air conditioning in Merritt, but when she discovered RAD in 2012, she saw its potential to bring more substantial change to the property.
Ms. Miller shared her vision with the MHA Board Chair, Brenda Carter, as well as with the other MHA board members. They applied for RAD and the rest fell into place. Carleton Companies, a development company that has been working with MHA for 13 years, was brought on as a private partner to work on redevelopment and construction of Merritt.
For Ms. Miller and Ms. Carter, RAD was the answer to a long-held vision and the obvious vehicle to move their community forward. For them, one of the most important parts of the RAD implementation became the education piece. They created a thoughtful education strategy to explain what RAD is, as well as who their residents were, how vital affordable housing is, and how removing the stigma attached to these homes can positively impact change for everyone.
An End and a Beginning
Residents throughout Merritt believe that as a result of RAD, they can live in their homes with restored dignity. For McKinney, Merritt was a big step towards positive change, but was not the end of the transformative process. Merritt was just the second of three properties planned for renovation through RAD. The next community is Lloyd Owens; MHA also plans to partner with others in the community to bring additional needed services there. MHA and Carleton Companies hope these changes will continue to remove stigma from public housing and be a springboard for residents into success in the entirety of their lives.
At the Merritt Homes Apartment site, the community center has been completely renovated and now serves as a secure space for residents to connect and learn. Connected to the community center is a new educational computer lab and library, complete with beanbags for the younger residents. Other updates to the grounds included covered picnic and grilling areas, an updated playground, new security features, and restructured grounds designed for disaster prevention. Inside the apartment homes, modern light fixtures, spacious closets, and large bathtubs sparkled. In addition to the cosmetic upgrades, the apartment homes had central air conditioners and all new kitchen appliances. Accessibility ramps and solar panels were added to the buildings.
Resident Debbie R. reminisces about the RAD conversion at her McKinney development.
“It's beautiful!” and “Things work!” resident Anthony Wilson said of the new Merritt. “Even though it's [subsidized housing], this place is as beautiful as any other place,” he added.
Residential Engagement
Restoring Hope
For Anthony Wilson, a 46-year old father of three, the renovations to Merritt restored his optimism for his future, for his community, and for others around the world in similar situations to his own. Anthony grew up at Merritt. He moved away shortly after graduating high school and had a successful career as a National Championship Boxer.
However, in 2009, three years after his retirement from boxing, Anthony unexpectedly fell on hard times and was no longer able to afford the house he shared with his young son. He returned to Merritt, and while grateful to have a roof over his head, he struggled with the unreliable heat and air conditioning and the stigma of living in public housing. Merritt had fallen into disrepair and was very different from the place he remembered as his childhood home. Anthony felt uncomfortable bringing guests to his home and the living conditions of Merritt hurt his pride.
After the RAD transformation, everything changed. “It makes me feel like I’m supposed to be in a place that’s very comfortable, that has the resources I need to be able to take care of my son, to be able to take care of myself, to be able to feel prideful and feel OK. It makes me feel really good — I’m happy.” Anthony no longer feels the stigma he once did about living in public housing. “I think we all deserve a chance,” he said, and he hopes to see more affordable housing like Merritt in the community.
James Foster, grandfather of two, has lived at Merritt for eight years and has been a member of the MHA Grievance Board for his entire residency. He looks at and addresses any grievances for all members of Merritt, as well as all other MHA properties. James has always appreciated the sense of community at Merritt and takes pride in helping to keep it safe. He works to preserve and protect his community by helping others to understand the rules and regulations of the property, both during his time on and off the Grievance Board. James was excited when he heard the property was going to be rebuilt, and he hopes other Housing Authorities will consider RAD if they have the chance.
Financials
What Is RAD?
The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) is a program of the Office of Recapitalization in the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs at HUD. Authorized in 2011, RAD allows public housing agencies and owners of other HUD-assisted properties to convert units from their original sources of HUD financing to project-based Section 8 contracts. These new contracts provide a more reliable source of operating subsidy that enables property owners to leverage private and public capital, such as debt and equity, to finance new construction and/or rehabilitation of rental housing. Meanwhile, residents benefit from consultation prior to conversion, have a right to return after any construction, and maintain ongoing rights guaranteeing the affordability of the housing.