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Gainsborough neighbors tell council unfinished ARPA rehab leaves one historic house at risk
Summary
Residents and Gainsborough Preservation District members told council that a $500,000 ARPA-funded housing rehab program left one owner-occupied home unfinished and asked the city to use remaining funds to complete the work and meet with neighborhood representatives.
Residents and members of the Historic Gainsborough Preservation District pressed council July 20 to complete one remaining owner-occupied home renovation funded by a $500,000 ARPA allocation. Speakers said four homes have been completed and that the fifth — an 1885 house — remains unfinished despite an existing contract and repeated outreach to city staff.
Brenda Allen (speaker 30) told council that HGPD had repeatedly requested updates since November 2025 and had not received meaningful responses from housing staff or the mayor’s office. "We have heard nothing from the mayor's office... We have sent emails, requested meetings, and yet no response," Allen said, asking why the city would not use remaining funds to finish the last rehab.
Ricardo Stovall (speaker 31), who requested the earlier street renaming, told council his neighborhood project began in June 2023 and that four homes were completed but the fifth remains unfinished; he asked council to consider available remaining ARPA funds to finish the project so "no home [is] left behind." Multiple other HGPD members cited FOIA findings about project budgets and asked for a meeting with city personnel to discuss alternatives for using remaining funds.
Council acknowledged the concerns and said staff would follow up; no formal vote or directive was recorded at the meeting to reallocate funds or require completion.
