Tuscaloosa City committee approves housing environmental assessment and hires contractors for renovation program

A Tuscaloosa City committee on an undisclosed date approved several housing-related actions, including a local amendment to the 2023 consolidated action plan, authorization for environmental reviews tied to a public-housing acquisition, and tentative contractor selections for a neighborhood renovation program.

The committee voted to move $8,500 within the city's 2023 action plan from a community comprehensive planning line into administration, at the request of the Office of Community and Neighborhood Services (CNS). The motion was made and the committee approved the reallocation by voice vote.

The committee also authorized the mayor to execute environmental assessments related to the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority's planned acquisition of McKenzie Court 1 and 2, a step the presenter said is required for the city to sign off on the transfer of those properties to public housing. The authorization passed after a motion and a voice vote.

Members approved tentative contractor selections connected to the Let's Paint/Let's Renovate program. CNS said it issued an RFP for construction services and that Volker was one of two firms to submit a response; the committee authorized staff to proceed with selecting Volker for professional services, then to finalize a contract for the mayor to sign following negotiations with the Office of Community Affairs (OCA).

Separately, staff said Mack Environmental, which had served as the lead contractor on earlier Let's Paint rounds and was the only respondent to a related RFP, was also tentatively selected for renovation work. As with the Volker selection, the committee authorized the mayor to sign a contract after OCA completes negotiations.

CNS discussed program scale and funding: staff said the current round has a $100,000 budget and estimated per-house costs of roughly $18,000'$19,000. By that math, CNS said the funding could cover about five houses; another participant interjected "Two houses," leaving the precise number of homes to be renovated unclear. The committee approved moving forward with contractor selections and contracting authority despite the unresolved count.

Committee members also asked the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority about a separate redevelopment. In response, a Housing Authority representative said the agency plans to stabilize McKenzie Court first and expects to have full ownership of that property by this summer. The representative estimated the Hayes Manor redevelopment would proceed in phases because about 216 residents currently live there and said the agency expects to begin applying for tax credits for Hayes Manor around 2028.

Committee membership was stated during the meeting as "Mr. Lanier" (chairperson), "Ms. Howard" (vice chair), and "Mr. Eatman" (member). Multiple motions were made and approved by voice vote; no roll-call tallies or named movers/seconders were recorded in the transcript.

What happens next: staff will complete negotiations with OCA and, if talks conclude, the mayor will be authorized to sign the professional services and contractor agreements. The environmental-assessment authorization clears one procedural hurdle for the Housing Authority's planned acquisition; the Hayes Manor redevelopment remains at an early, multi-year planning stage according to the Housing Authority representative.