OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Ottumwa Housing Authority has received its annual grant, and this year, the funds will be used towards the modernization of the city's public housing buildings.
The Housing Authority currently owns and operates three high-rises, Southoak Towers, Westgate Towers and Camelot Towers, that comprise of 299 single bedroom apartments. They also manage 60 separate two or three bedroom apartments.
This year's annual grant for $363,847 is less than in years past. Housing Authority Executive Director Dan Stroda said that is due to funding cuts seen across the board this year.
But it won't prevent the projects and improvements in the agenda to be halted. The biggest project on the table -- elevators.
"Our grant that we'll be using, we're right now starting a process of updating all six elevators in our three high-rises," Stroda said. "This grant will help update, modernize the elevators at Southoak Towers on Finley Street."
Stroda said that last year's grant be used to do similar work in the Westgate Towers. The new elevators will be all digital, and also more spacious and accommodating to residents.
Portions of the grant will also be used for water heater replacement at the Westgate Towers, and shower and stove replacement in apartments at Camelot Towers.
The improvement projects stem from plans the Housing Authority submits to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development each year.
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