The Housing Authority of the City of Danville has been granted permission to demolish six buildings at the Fair Oaks Public Housing area. Jaclyn Vinson, Executive Director of the Housing Authority, says those six buildings contain 57 units. They are the oldest buildings at Fair Oaks and were built in the 1940s and 1950s. Other newer buildings at Fair Oaks will remain intact. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has granted permission for the demolition.
As part of the demolition process, Vinson says the Housing Authority of the City of Danville will work with each impacted family to develop an Individual Relocation Plan. Each family will have the right to remain in another HACD owned public housing property, or receive a housing voucher to relocate to the locale of their choice. Vinson says the local housing authority is committed to ensuring that each impacted family has a smooth transaction to their next home.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says the land will remain vacant once the units are demolished. The federal office says that is because of the lack of local amenities that are now desirable to modern day renters. HUD says those amenities include public transportation, local supermarkets and convenience stores, shopping facilities, restaurants, gas stations, medical facilities, parks, and places of employment and education.
Pre-Relocation counseling services have begun and will continue throughout the rest of November and December. The relocation process is expected to last approximately 180 days. Vinson adds a coordinated demolition strategy will be implemented as buildings become vacant.
The Housing Authority of the City of Danville continues to remain committed to providing affordable housing options to residents within the City of Danville and Vermilion County, according to Director Vinson. ‘’We look forward to serving our residents through this relocation process and enabling them a level of higher independence and improved quality of life,’’ she added.
It was in the 1940s that Housing Authority of the City of Danville developed 326 rental units of public housing known as Fair Oaks.
