JMHA residents play bingo, learn about housing project
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STEUBENVILLE -- Residents of the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority's two North End units played bingo for prizes while learning more about the potentially transformative Steubenville North Choice Neighborhoods Plan Wednesday.
Individuals came from JMHA's John F. Kennedy Apartments and Elmer White Family Units -- both slated for redevelopment under the plan, which is seeking $30 million to $50 million in grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Nearing the second year of development, for which the planning team received a $500,000 HUD grant, the project organized Wednesday's event, the latest effort to gather input from JMHA residents who live in the North End.
Eliza Kelley is founder of EMIT Training Consultants, which is handling the plan's project management. Kelley said Wednesday's event was meant to help residents "get involved, be engaged and know what's going on with the program."
Rounds of bingo, in which residents competed for gift cards, were interspliced with informational segments about the plan, which seeks to fully replace the 206 JFK apartments and Elmer White units with new, mixed-income developments. If realized, the replacement will be one-to-one and done in stages so that all current residents will be guaranteed a place in the new development, noted Chris Petrossi, Steubenville's urban projects director, who attended the event.
Overseeing the planning process being handled by EMIT, Petrossi represents the city, which is a co-applicant with JMHA in pursuit of the full HUD Choice Neighborhood grant funds. Petrossi said the project is "resident-driven," meaning input from residents is vital for success and making the changes people need.
"It centers around affordable housing but it's also about people in neighborhoods," he said. "We're working on a plan that brings all of those together to act as a catalyst for redevelopment."
Kelley added, "Working with this project is definitely rewarding because this is what it's about: The residents being able to come together, share a community event and be able to hear the aspects of (the project.) It's important for them to get the facts … and not just the hearsay."
Organizing the event were the project's three ambassadors, Steubenville residents who have taken an interest in the project and want to take the extra step in helping. The ambassadors are Daycha Wade, Knowledge Whatley and Tina Thompson.
Between bingo rounds, Thompson presented information about the project and its planning to date, noting that replacement of units would begin in between five and six years if the city and JMHA are awarded the full HUD grant. She affirmed that, according to HUD's requirements, new developments must create at least as many Section 8 housing units as existed before, meaning no current resident would be displaced.
Thompson identified statistics drawn from a resident needs assessment survey, taken in July by the planning team. Seventy-seven percent of JMHA residents in the JFK apartments and Elmer White units answered the survey, and the results can be found on the project's website, steubenvillechoice.com.
Information also was presented about the early action project, for which $100,000 from the planning grant is earmarked to demonstrate the planning team's collaboration and effectiveness. Thompson showed speculative renderings of the proposed early action project, a multi-function, community garden and learning space located in the empty lot across from East Garfield Elementary School.
Thompson said East Garfield agreed to contribute its own funds to make sure the project, which includes a colorfully painted road, is "incredible." Petrossi noted separately that the city agreed to match the early action project's $100,000, a fact reflected in its 2024 budget.
An event on Dec. 5 saw the planning team invite East Garfield students to indicate what they would like to see in the early action project, Thompson said. A promotional video, created with help from Steubenville High School multimedia students and viewable on the project's website, showed East Garfield students touring the site and using maps to plan their own ideal visions for the project.
"It was wonderful what the actual children wanted to see in their neighborhood," commented Kelley, who added that the kids were not shy about sharing their hopes.
Thompson encouraged residents to get involved by asking questions, making suggestions and telling their neighbors about the project. A public comment box is located 24/7 in the JFK apartments' community room, she noted.
Before the bingo event began, Thompson expressed approval for the project. Her favorite aspect is that the new developments will be mixed-income, providing housing for individuals like her sons, who are in transitional stages of life.
Whatley also spoke to residents, noting that the ambassadors hope to hold resident events and meetings every month. One such event will be a poetry slam in February, centered on the theme of love and what it means to individuals. Updates on events will be posted on the project's website, Facebook page and newsletter.
"Y'all grew up here. I want y'all to be involved," Whatley told residents.
"We're here for you," Kelley added. "That's the honest, absolute truth."
In attendance at the event was Marc Gregory, a 10-year resident of the JFK apartments, who expressed the critical need for more amenities downtown. Gregory said he hopes the Choice Neighborhoods project can be a remedy, adding that more residents should attend the meetings, as the topic should be important to them.