BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — To alleviate utility transition challenges for Riverside Apartments residents, the Martin County Fiscal Court is set to facilitate the residents through zero-interest loans. The move is to assist residents in establishing their own utility accounts.
Eric Mills, representing Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty’s office, announced the plan during a Martin County Housing Board meeting Aug. 9.
“The county will front the deposit amounts—up to a certain amount—for residents who are struggling, to be paid back each month over a period,” Mills said.
Michelle Stapleton of Winterwood, the Lexington-based property manager, stated that no new tenants had established utility accounts since the last board meeting.
“It’s the water that still holds them up,” Stapleton said. “I think there was some confusion there. The guy at the water company said that it was just $90 to transfer the water. That’s true, but then you have the sewer fee because they have to do both.”
The combined cost of water and sewer setup amounts to $175. Additionally, residents are required to establish electricity accounts.
Mills urged residents facing challenges with deposit payments to approach the management to get set up for loans. He stressed, “This is a loan, not a grant or a freebie. It’s meant to be paid back affordably, based on individual income circumstances.”
Riverside Apartments reported a decline in utility costs for July. Electricity was $2,987.92, down from $4,108 in June. Likewise, water and sewer costs were $5,567, a decrease from $6,800 in June. The sewer costs include a $750 monthly surcharge by the Martin County Sanitation District for grinder pump maintenance at the 48-unit complex.
Mills emphasized the necessity to transition utility accounts from the housing authority to the residents.
“The idea is that you control your own usage and, therefore, your bill,” said Mills.
“Your utility allotment will be what you get calculated as part of your discount through [the Department of Housing and Urban Development]… If you go over that, that will be on you.”
HUD provides a $221 utility allotment for a 2-bedroom apartment, $268 for a 3-bedroom and $303 for a 4-bedroom. Under the new plan, a tenant will receive the approved allotment as a discount on the rent. If the tenant pays $50 rent for a 2-bedroom unit, they will receive a check for $171 to pay their utility bills. A tenant paying $400 rent for a 2-bedroom unit will pay $179 after the utility credit.
“The other commitment will be that there will be continued investments in trying to renovate and improve the units to be more energy efficient,” said Mills.
The county is seeking grant funding with the idea of a complete overhaul of the complex.
“HUD has a special pool of funding available for places like this, places that are struggling and don’t have a lot of capital but have major infrastructure needs. It could be up to $3 million,” said Mills. “I doubt it would be that much that we would get funded, but we’re going to ask for it. We’re going to explain what’s happened here and how there has been such a turnover and changeover in the last few years that’s made a lot of folks not even want to live here. Certainly, those who do live here need infrastructure and improvement, things like HVAC, getting new heating and cooling, new windows and things that will help improve energy efficiency… We know there are ways to improve that.”
Source of anxiety
Earlier in April, Riverside residents were thrown into a state of anxiety upon receiving a notice from Winterwood. The letter pointed toward “excessive utility consumption by the tenants” and gave them until June 15 to get utilities switched to their names. Failure to comply would result in the complete utility cost being charged to the tenant and a 30-day eviction notice.
Judge Lafferty’s timely intervention led to a reprieve from the potential mass eviction of low-income residents.
“All of you deserve a good, clean, safe place where you can live with pride and have your kids raised here with pride. That’s what we’re working to create for all of you,” remarked Mills. “That’s where our hearts are, and that’s where the judge’s heart is, too.”
HUD audit
During the June meeting, the housing board learned that HUD would begin an audit Aug. 15. The board met HUD representatives at 2 p.m. in the Martin County Public Library in Inez. Ahead of that meeting, the board conducted a special meeting at 1 p.m. to prepare.