3 minute read
Affordable Solution
New Apartments Being Built for Moore’s Low-Income Families
Ever since the F-5 tornado tore through, killing 25 people and causing billions of dollars in damage nearly seven years ago, the Moore community has been putting itself back together in glorious fashion.
New homes, new businesses, new schools, a new hospital and much more have allowed the city to bounce back better than before. Later this year, the community will add another important piece that has been largely overlooked through the recovery process.
A large apartment complex with nearly 250 units will open on Moore’s west side, providing affordable housing to replace low-cost homes that were lost. The storm flattened nearly 100 duplexes, more than 50 mobile homes and a few small houses, leaving hundreds of Moore’s elderly, handicapped and low-income families with no place to live, said Kahley Gilbert, project grants manager for the City of Moore.
Following the storm, Moore had very little affordable housing left, forcing people to relocate to Oklahoma City or to Norman, she said.
Affordable housing is essential for low income families, people who are elderly or people who are disabled, experts say. The lack of affordable housing is also attributed to homelessness.
The National Low-Income Housing Coalition says the nation needs more than seven million more affordable housing unites to fill the needs of the country’s population of extremely low-income families.
The organization points out that affordable housing is the most cost-effective strategy for reducing childhood poverty and increasing economic mobility in the United States.
Based on the need for affordable housing in Moore, Gilbert said the new apartments are not likely to be empty for long.
Gilbert said the apartment complex will be called The Curve, and it is being built on about 14 acres of land where the duplexes and the trailer park were located. The structure will be two to three stories tall with parking in the back of the building. Belmont Development of
The City of Moore is subsidizing the project through a $52.2 million Community Development Block Grant the federal government provided for disaster recovery, she said. The city paid $5.3 million for the property and site preparations, and it is covering about $10.6 million of the apartment complex construction for a total investment of about $16 million.
The apartments will be composed of 244 units and two additional units of space that will be available for retail businesses or offices. The apartments will range from studio dwellings to one, two- and three- bedroom apartments.
Gilbert said 90 percent of the apartments will be leased for rates prescribed under the federal government’s affordable housing standard. That means rent costs will range from, 60 to 80 percent of the market rate. The remaining unites will be leased for the market rate.
Families and individuals qualify for affordable housing based on their income. For example, a family of four could qualify if their annual income is less than $59,050, Gilbert said. – 19SM
NOW OPEN! Visit Our New Location Off North May Avenue!
The 5-Day Clean Car Guarantee Is Now Available In North Oklahoma City!
Okie Express Auto Wash is pleased to announce that our newest location off May Ave, just north of Memorial Road is NOW OPEN! Our drive through automatic tunnel means you never have to get out of your vehicle to get it sparkling clean. We can wash and wax your car in about 3 minutes and our vacuums are always FREE with any wash purchase. Come see why we are the metro’s best!
