Date: June 3, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Ashley Elsasser
Phone: 254-3886 ext. 225
Email: aelsasser@chasc.org


Columbia Housing Authority Receives HOPE VI Funding for the
Redevelopment of Hendley Homes

Yesterday afternoon, the Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) received word that its HOPE VI application for funding to redevelop the Hendley Homes site off Rosewood Drive was successful. The news means the CHA will receive $10,755,952 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help transform the site where Hendley Homes once stood into a thriving new community called Rosewood Hills.

The name for the new community, along with the vision for the development, was determined by a series of public workshops that took place during 2003. Hundreds of Columbia residents participated in the planning process that helped resolve key issues such as the layout of the development and what community amenities to include. The following unit mix was also designed based on community input as well as a market study of the area:

This diverse housing mix, which is centered on an interconnected system of parks and greenways, will feature housing options for families of all income levels. Of the 187 units to be constructed, 66 will be assisted rental units, 30 will be affordable rental units, 37 will be affordable homeownership units, and 54 will be market rate homes and apartments. To view the proposed site maps and building renderings for Rosewood Hills, visit the CHA's web site at http://www.chasc.org/cola/Hendley.htm.

The redevelopment plan for Rosewood Hills also calls for $4.5 million in public improvements including new streets and streetscapes, a 7,900 square foot library/community center and a 6,500 square feet of supportive neighborhood retail services.

The proposed unit mix and community amenities are designed to make Rosewood Hills a well functioning community that will blend seamlessly into the existing area and encourage additional redevelopment along Rosewood Drive.

"When complete, the Rosewood Hills community will stabilize a long-neglected portion of the City," said Gilbert Walker, CHA Executive Director. "Receiving HOPE VI funding for this project will help us continue fulfilling our mission of supporting strong neighborhoods and providing safe and affordable housing to Columbia's residents."

The CHA will be the developer for the Rosewood Hills community, and the Authority plans to move forward with construction as quickly as possible. The CHA hopes to complete the new community by the Fall of 2007.

"The funding for this project is welcome news," said Congressman James Clyburn. "The redevelopment of the Hendley Homes site is a continuation of my vision for the Empowerment Zone, and I applaud the CHA's persistence in seeking ways to provide affordable housing options for the families of Columbia."

Hendley Homes, the 300-unit public housing community that once sat on the approximately 20 acres of land off Rosewood Drive, was built in 1953. The complex was demolished in 1999 as a result of a HOPE VI demolition grant. The property has been vacant since that time, awaiting a vision from the community.

The CHA oversees more than 4500 conventional public and assisted housing dwellings throughout the Greater Columbia area. The CHA is the third oldest housing authority in the nation, and has continuously been recognized by HUD for its successful housing and education programs.

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