Ocean City Housing Authority Seeking Approvals in $4.2 Million Project

By Maddy Vitale In the next step toward building a $4.2 million affordable housing project, the Ocean City Housing Authority is seeking federal approval to demolish units at one site, to allow for construction at the new location. “We made our submissions to HUD for approval March 1,” said Rick Ginnetti, owner of The Brooke Group, a housing authority consultant for the project. “All is contingent on HUD allowing us to demolish these units.” Ginnetti gave the status of the project in a brief presentation to the housing authority during a meeting Tuesday night. In January, the Ocean City Planning Board gave the green light for the authority’s plan to construct a 20-unit, two-story building on Sixth Street and West Avenue. The building will be built on what is now a parking lot adjacent to the authority’s Bay View Manor housing complex. It will be funded by a Hurricane Sandy recovery grant. The flood-prone Pecks Beach Village on Fourth Street would be knocked down once construction is completed. Ginnetti and housing officials said they hope construction would begin around the beginning of 2019 and be completed sometime in 2020. A portion of Pecks Beach Village would be leveled in a proposal by the housing authority for better senior housing nearby. Another step, in what officials call a lengthy and complicated process, would be putting together a bid package to hire a construction contractor. Ginnetti said one is nearly complete. Then the authority would need a general contractor in place to get final approval for federal financing in order to begin the project. “We believe that process will take through the summer,” Ginnetti said. “Once we get the contractor, then HUD would finish their approvals.”  The Sixth Street complex would be named in honor of the late housing authority commissioner Edmond C. Speitel Sr. The project consultant said he sees a lot of cooperation between the city and the housing authority. “That is what will make this project successful,” Ginnetti commented. Jacqueline Jones, executive director of the housing authority, said things are going really well with the authority and the project. “We have a great group of people. Everyone here is working with us,” Jones said. “This is a complicated process. We hope for the building to be ready to move residents in, but a lot of things have to fall into place.” Bob Barr, a city councilman who also serves as chairman of the authority, echoed Jones’ sentiment. “We are working well together,” Barr said. Barr also said that in addition to moving along on the project, the authority has plans to make $250,000 worth of improvements to Bay View Manor and has already made staff adjustments. Over the next few year, the authority will spruce up Bay View Manor, a senior-citizen complex. Plans call for cleaning the exterior, painting the units and improving the hallway lighting for the five-story building at Sixth Street and West Avenue. Bay View Manor’s floors, elevator and landscaping will also be upgraded. In addition, the two stairway towers will be repainted for the first time since Bay View Manor was built in the 1970s. The housing authority uses federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide affordable housing for low-income senior citizens, families and the disabled at its Pecks Beach Village and Bay View Manor facilities. The authority plans to construct a 20-unit, two-story building on Sixth Street and West Avenue, which would replace Pecks Beach Village.