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Taylor Housing Authority outlines Mary Olson rehab, tenant relocation and $150,000 annual savings
Summary
The Taylor Housing Authority board and new executive director updated council on a gut‑and‑rebuild of seven deteriorated buildings at the Mary Olson site, a block‑by‑block tenant relocation plan, a goal to break ground in early summer and $150,000 in recurring annual savings from cancelling or renegotiating contracts.
Taylor Housing Authority board chair Lisonbee Fox Dahlberg and new Executive Director Shay Gultman updated the Taylor City Council on Feb. 27 about a rehabilitation project at the Mary Olson property, plans to relocate residents temporarily, and steps the authority is taking to reduce operating costs.
Gultman, who said she joined the authority after a 14‑year career in equity and education compliance, told council the authority’s board and staff are focused on HUD compliance and on reviving the authority’s development plans. “We believe that everyone deserves a place to call home,” she said, reciting the housing authority’s revised vision statement.
The authority reported seven buildings at Mary Olson with severely damaged foundations that have left 14 units uninhabitable. Staff said they plan to stabilize soils and rebuild foundations in phases. The authority described a block‑by‑block relocation so tenants move into newly repaired units nearby rather than being displaced out of the neighborhood: “We literally will be bringing in movers, boxing them up, moving them, boom, they go from bed and then they have a bed that night to sleep in in their new home,” Gultman said.
The authority said it has permits in hand for the current phase and is working with a new rapid‑construction contractor. Staff gave a provisional timeline: break ground in early summer, move residents into improved units in the fall, and hope for a ribbon‑cutting in the following spring. For particularly large units (two, three and five bedrooms), the authority said temporary hotel stays paid by the developer are part of the plan when no temporary replacement unit is available.
Gultman also described internal cost reviews that have identified recurring savings. “We have an annual savings of $150,000 that will be annually going forward,” she said, adding that the staff is continuing to scrutinize contracts and subscriptions to find additional reductions.
Council members praised the housing authority’s recent activity and the new executive director’s outreach to residents. Councilman Anderson thanked the board for progress on long‑standing projects and asked about the separate Avery project; Gultman told council work on Avery is ongoing.
The presentation included an updated mission statement and an emphasis on resident services and compliance with HUD rules. The authority said it will survey tenants to determine whether they prefer to remain in new Mary Olson units or pursue Section 8 vouchers and that the developer will cover relocation costs including movers and, if needed, hotel stays for short periods.
The housing authority did not request council action tonight; the presentation was informational. No funding requests or contract approvals were made during the report.
Looking ahead, Gultman said the authority will keep residents informed of the schedule and will invite council to a groundbreaking when dates are set.
