Housing board pursues route to resuscitate Grove Way

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Nearly one year after the residents of 199 Grove Way were displaced from their public housing units, the Roswell Housing Authority has a $30 million plan to redevelop the complex.

The Roswell Housing Authority owns the 40-unit complex in the Pelfrey Pines public housing development, designated for seniors and people with disabilities that make less than 80 percent of the area’s median income.

In July 2022 the residents were told the property had been condemned and everyone needed to find another place to live. At the April 11 board meeting, the Roswell Housing Authority announced the last remaining tenant had been relocated.

It’s a step that moves the housing authority closer to demolishing the existing building and increasing the number of units to 102. The residents who left the property would have “first right of refusal” according to officials with the City of Roswell.

Grove Way is managed in partnership with the Gainesville

Housing Authority, helmed by Executive Director Beth Brown.

Project plans take shape

The Roswell Housing Authority declared the 199 Grove Way units structurally unsound in 2022. The building was held up in some parts with metal supports, and residents had issues with mold, cracks and doors that didn’t close.

The $30 million redevelopment project calls for tearing down the existing building and construct new units, increasing capacity by over 60 apartments. It will be helmed by the developer Pennrose.

Roswell Housing Authority Chair Karen Parrish said the group has about 2,000 people on a waiting list for the Grove Way homes.

“They’re so old that it takes a while to go through just because people have found other housing or they don’t respond or their address has changed,” Brown said.

At a March 27 Roswell City Council meeting, officials changed requirements for Grove Way to allow for redevelopment.

The adjusted plans will allow four story portions of Roswell Housing

Authority buildings to exceed 100 feet in depth and all building lengths to exceed 300 feet.

“We also eliminated the requirement to spend about $200,000 on public art, because we thought it would be better spent on housing,” said Eric Schumacher, Roswell Housing Authority board member.

Schumacher said the group is still looking at public art for the property but wanted to remove the financial requirement.

Parrish said she wants to be “especially responsible with every dime,” and that involves prioritizing homes over anything else.

With the property rezoned for the major development, the housing authority must look to securing the funds from local and state sources. In the meantime, the property will remain vacant.

Gainesville Housing Authority Executive Director Beth Brown said the Roswell Police Department approached the group about potentially using the space to run drills.

“We agreed there would not be a problem with it, and it could be a win for us just having a greater police presence here on site,”

Another board member asked for advance notice to residents, so they can know when drills will be happening. Brown said the housing authority could give notice that drills would “happen occasionally.”

Board member Schumacher said the housing authority should also avoid any liability with the police, because the building has already been condemned for safety reasons.

“We want to make sure that’s accepted and it’s not a problem for insurance because this is like, a secondary use,” Schumacher said.

Finding the funds

The Roswell City Council approved $2 million in grant funding for the Roswell Housing Authority at an April 11 meeting, a step toward securing a 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit worth $6 million.

To qualify for the credit the housing authority must show proof of financial support. The $2 million loan from the city proves some funding, but the group is looking at other options to fill the gap.

See HOUSING, Page 13