Michael J. Ross
AMERICUS — Bill Krenson, chairperson of the Housing Authority of Americus (HAA) Commission, is concerned about the recent, negative attention the HAA has received concerning a particular armed robbery, aggravated assault and battery incident that recently occurred at one of its Hanson Drive units.
The issue was discussed at the Commission’s meeting Thursday at the HAA headquarters on Mayo Street. Krenson said the vast majority of HAA residents are law-abiding citizens, and every applicant is given a thorough criminal background check before being allowed to move in a HAA unit.
John Anderson, HAA executive director, said he has recently noticed an increase in criminal activity among some of the HAA residents, but this won’t be tolerated.
“We aggressively address any situation where a resident is involved in criminal activity,” said Anderson. He pointed out that everybody who lived at the Hanson Drive unit where the assault occurred has been given their eviction notice.
Anderson also said illegal drugs and firearms were readily found at the Hanson Drive unit, when law enforcement responded to the scene. HAA Commissioner Lynn Ingle said maintenance people are in and out of units often, and she asked Anderson if maintenance workers take note of illegal activity when they’re working in a unit.
Anderson said maintenance workers have to let residents know when they are coming over.
Ingle said she recently attended a conference with housing authority commissioners from around the state. Her interaction with other commissioners made her realize how competent and smart Anderson is. Ingle found out that many housing authorities are trying to implement extensive policies and procedures that the HAA has already implemented under the leadership of Anderson, she said.
Anderson said the HAA is still in the consulting phase concerning the razing of the Northside housing units. The Boys & Girls Club (BGC) unit within the public housing projects on Northside Drive has already closed.
The HAA informed the Sumter County BGC in June that the Club and the 100 housing units surrounding it must be razed because the area is just too overcrowded and congested, explained Anderson.
The HAA gave the BGC until May of this year to be out of the building, but BGC officials decided to move out four months before the deadline.
Anderson said it could take up to two years before actual demolition begins at Northside. He said in December that the HAA didn’t have any definite plans for the Northside property, once the public housing units have been razed.
