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Housing authority outlines plan to seek HUD Section 18 demolition disposition for Schwartz Robertson site
Summary
Authority staff said they will seek HUD approval under Section 18 to demolish and redevelop the Schwartz Robertson site, and that city endorsement is required before the HUD packet is submitted.
Housing authority staff told the board they intend to seek a Section 18 demolition disposition from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to demolish and phase new construction at the Schwartz Robertson site.
Staff said the Section 18 route would require municipal support because the authority’s properties sit inside the city’s boundaries. “We are going to communicate to HUD that we intend to proceed forward under section 18,” a staff speaker said, adding that the authority had been “in contact with city hall” and expected a mayoral endorsement letter next week from the city’s public information officer, JT Miller.
Why it matters: Applying under HUD’s Section 18 demolition/disposition process would let the authority replace existing units with new housing on the same site, but HUD requires evidence of local coordination and support before approving a demolition/disposition plan.
What was said: The staff speaker told the board the authority would align its packet with the city and then submit the Section 18 request to HUD. He said coordination is needed because the site touches municipal infrastructure — city and county roads, pipelines and utilities — and that “everybody has to kinda want this and be on the same page.” The speaker described the current moment as “real momentum” and said the authority was preparing RFPs, entertaining developers, and discussing county and state coordination on pipelines and sidewalks.
Resident outreach and timing: Board members pressed staff to clarify resident communications after rumors about immediate demolition circulated. The staff speaker repeated that demolition and relocation were not immediate steps and emphasized prior community meetings — including a session that drew “100 plus folks” and materials in English and Spanish — and said the authority would reengage residents as planning advanced.
Next steps: The authority said it would secure a letter of local endorsement, assemble the HUD packet for Section 18, and then present formal development options to the board. No formal vote or binding approval to HUD was taken during the meeting.
Ending: Staff said more updates will follow as the authority collects municipal endorsements and prepares the HUD submission.
