Orange Avenue RedevelopmentTHA Monthly Newsletter Vol 6. June 2023
Vol. 6 June 2023
Highlights:
- Summer Activities
- How to Improve Your Credit Score
Table of Contents
- Director's Note
- THA Operations
- Demolition & Revitalization
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend
- Resident News & Events
- Resident Resources
- Resident Highlights & Community News
- THA News & Highlights
Director's Corner
Welcome to the THA monthly newsletter!
Dear Residents - As we redefine our work and deepen our commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable community residence, we are pleased to share this newsletter to provide you with the latest news, developments, accomplishments and updates from the Tallahassee Housing Authority (THA) properties and staff.
As Executive Director, it is our mission to enhance and expand the quality of life in our community, and to maintain and provide quality affordable housing. THA will facilitate a network of supportive services to enhance the quality of life for our residents. We are committed to quality service and will provide a professional atmosphere to our
employees, partners, and the greater Tallahassee constituency.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns you may have. I am here to serve you.
THA Operations
The Mission of the Tallahassee Housing Authority is to maintain and provide quality, affordable housing and facilitate a network of supportive services to enhance the quality of life for our residents.
Here's What We Do and How We Do It
Tallahassee Housing Authority provides quality affordable housing for low-to moderate-income households, fosters sustainable communities, and cultivates opportunities for residents to improve their lives in collaboration with local supportive services. Much of the public housing stock in Tallahassee is over forty years old and is well-maintained by the housing authority. Over time, we will work toward the redevelopment of our housing stock. A principal plan for redevelopment was recently completed for our Orange Avenue Apartments.The Authority is governed by a volunteer seven-person Board of Commissioners appointed by the City of Tallahassee Commission. Through formal adoption of policy, they ensure that the Authority is fiscally responsible and operates in an efficient manner.
The Authority consists of three (3) distinctive residential Public Housing communities, (aka Asset Management Properties or AMPs), located in the incorporated areas of Tallahassee, Florida. There are a total of 346 residential units consisting of 41 single-family detached homes, and 12 duplex units. The Authority also owns and maintains a 93-unit Low-Income Housing Tax Credit apartment community.
The Tallahassee Housing Authority is working to improve efficiency so that all our customers have access to information and services.
Explore the various links on our website to find available rentals, services, more about our programs, and information about payments.
Board of Commissoners Update
In April, 2 of the previous Tallahassee Housing Authority board members reached the limits of their term. They are replaced by Antoine Wright, CEO/Executive Director of Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, Inc. and Dr. Henry Lewis III, President and CEO, Red Hills Research Institute,LLC.
Antoine Wright
CEO/Executive Director of Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
Antoine has been a part of the BBHH family for more than 20 years. He started out as a student volunteer while a freshmen in college and his passion for Habitat and it's mission remains strong. Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.
Dr. Henry Lewis III
President and CEO, Red Hills Research Institute,LLC
Dr. Henry Lewis III is a retired Professor and Dean at the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at his alma mater, Florida A&M University (FAMU). During his tenure as dean, Dr. Lewis led the college to national recognition. It is now the fourth largest of the nation's 89 colleges of pharmacy. Dr. Lewis received a B.S. in pharmacy from FAMU and a Pharm.D. degree from Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia. He then completed a post-doctoral education at Harvard University's Institute of Educational Management. He is now the President and CEO of the Red Hills Research Institute, LLC.
Demolition & Revitalization
The Impact of Redevelopment
Arriving at the decision to redevelop the Orange Avenue Apartments was not easy. The property was approaching 50 years of usage, wear and tear. The buildings along Orange Avenue were built in a floodway, and the underground infrastructure was crumbling. The bedrooms were small, the property lacked amenities, and clotheslines dotted the property because the units were not equipped for washers and dryers. Overall, while the property was well maintained and 99% leased up, it was obsolete. THA determined that tearing down and reconstructing the Orange Avenue Apartments would be the best course of action to improve the lives of its residents and foster equitable growth in South City.
Construction Update
Construction for Phase 1 is moving along quickly. Most of the buildings have been framed; the exterior has been wrapped in Tyvek (keeps out moisture and insulates), exterior windows are being installed and the brickwork is underway. Much of the HVAC, plumbing and electrical is nearly completed. Over the next few months, the interior framing, which is ongoing, will be completed. Once completed, interior insulation and drywall will begin. Underground infrastructure and stormwater installation is completed in Phase 2. The first concrete slab in Phase II will be poured later this month. The land has been graded and foundation framing will begin later this month.
American Rescue Plan to fund more than $3 million of Orange Avenue Redevelopment, helping to build 290 units of affordable housing for Florida families
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge was joined by Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey, Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor, and Tallahassee Housing Authority Executive Director Brenda Williams to display the undergoing revival of Orange Avenue Redevelopment, a 1972 housing
development, which received more than $3 million in American Rescue Plan funds, creating 290 affordable family units.
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend
BGCBB and THA
The mission of the BGCBB is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Club membership is free to Tallahassee Housing Authority residents, and enrollment is accepted at any time.
The Boys & Girls Club of Big Bend provides youth development activities, at no cost, to the residents of the Springfield and Pinewood Place communities. The program operates Monday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM after school. During the summer, the hours extend from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
At the beginning of each Boys & Girls Club program, the boys and girls are greeted by staff and then served a healthy snack. Afterwards, the boys and girls begin their "Power hour", during which they complete homework assignments and receive tutoring in any subject that may present them with difficulty. After completing homework, the children participate in one of the character and citizenship building activities. These programs teach young people how to make positive decisions and develop good character traits. Prior to ending the day, the youth participate in a high-yield activity that gets them moving and energized. These activities include football, basketball, and dance. The Boys & Girls Club provides a positive environment in which the youth are encouraged to evolve into responsible, caring, and productive citizens.
For more information, click here to Email Kacy Dennis or call 850.656.8100.
Click here for BGCBB Club MembershipSpringfield Updates
This month, Springfield honored the Member of the Month R. Tucker. She is a 2nd grader at John G. Riley Elementary School. Ms. Tucker enjoys coming to the Club for tutoring and getting help with her
homework from Mrs. White. Mrs. White comes out to the Springfield Club twice a week to help students with reading, math, and speech. R. Tucker is moving forward in reaching her milestones. Thanks to the Power Hour and reading program, she is becoming more comfortable and confident in reading out loud. The teens participated in Youth Advocacy Day at the Capital, where they had the chance to explore and learn about the legislation process. Youth also had the opportunity to speak with Florida Senator Corey Simon about why the club is important to him. Youth had an amazing time at FSU Prism, getting introduced to many different instruments and the craft behind bringing the sounds together to create music. The Springfield Club is preparing for summer camp starting June 5, 2023 - July 28, 2023. We are closed the week of July 3-7.Pinewood Place Updates
This month at Pinewood, we honored the Member of the Month A. Bronsen. She is in 1st grade at Sealey Elementary. She really enjoys social recreation and engaging in fun activities with her friends at the Club. This month, members at Pinewood were treated to an outing at FSU Prism and had the opportunity to be introduced to instruments and sounds throughout the culture. Pinewood teens participated in a financial literacy event where they learned the importance of budgeting money and saving.
The Pinewood Club is preparing for summer camp starting June 5, 2023-July 28, 2023. We are closed the week of July 3-7.Weekly Activities
- Second Harvest delivery dates for Pinewood Place: 1st Tuesday, 3rd Tuesday, every Thursday, 1st Friday of every month.
- Second Harvest delivery dates for Springfield: 2nd Tuesday and Thursday of every month from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM.
Youth with Corey Simon
Financial Literacy Event
Pinewood Member of the Month
FSU Prism
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
- Oscar Wilde
Resident News & Events
Upcoming Events
Budget and Credit Workshop
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provided free financial materials and we are working to create a workshop agenda that includes a keynote speaker and additional financial resources. Date TBDJob Opportunity!
Housing Choice Voucher Specialist
The position duties include a wide range of activities related to determining and documenting applicant and/or participant eligibility, income, rent and contractual relationships with owners in support of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) operations using written administrative policies and procedures. The position requires full accountability for assigned cases including accurate and complete files, resolution of customer service cases, and responsiveness to participant and landlord inquires. Salary $17 per hour | please send resumes to Dana Green.
Resident Resources
Free Food Pantries in Tallahassee and Leon County
Good News Outreach, Food Pantry
548 East Bradford Road, Tallahassee, FL 32303
850.412.0016
Distributes free food, meals, clothing, and more to senior citizens and low-income families across Leon County, Florida.
Call the center to get information on programs administered.Wildwood Church, Our Father's Storehouse
100 Ox Bottom Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312
850.894.1400Church of Christ
Multiple locations
Click Here for Locations
Free food is available for individuals and/or households.Promise Land Ministries Lighthouse, Inc.
20 Church Road, Crawfordville, FL 32327
850.926.3281Capital Area Community Action Agency, Inc.
309 Office Plaza Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32301
Food, shelter, meals, and grant programs are offered for short-term needs. They also have applications to Florida and federal government programs, such as SNAP benefits or free lunches for children.Salvation Army, Foodbank/Pantry
5016 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304
850.222.0304
Services include clothing, thrift store, holiday assistance or gifts, food, and social services. Senior citizens may be able to receive a home-delivered meal. They also serve Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas meals, as well as give out boxes of free groceries from the pantry.ECHO
702 West Madison Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32304
850.224.3267
Summer Activities You Need to Know!
Become a Lifeguard
Spending summer poolside can be fun & rewarding when you become a lifeguard. The City of Tallahassee is offering free training classes. Registration info!
Girl Scouts
At Girl Scouts, you'll find the space to try new things, discover new talents, and most importantly, to be truly, totally yourself. If you're ready to make awesome memories with forever friends, it's time to join our squad. Be a Girl Scout at Troop 11214 based out of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. More info!Free Summer Camp for Girls
Free Summer Camp for girls in 3rd-12th grades! Camp runs from June 5- July 28. Apply!
Reading Incentive Program
BOOK IT! is a reading incentive program created by Pizza Hut in 1984. We empower teachers and parents to motivate their students to read by providing Reading Award Certificates®, good for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza® from Pizza Hut®. This program is free to schools and parents homeschooling their own children.
Enroll!
Free Meals
Free meals this summer! Summer BreakSpot offers balanced breakfasts, lunches, snacks or dinners depending on the site.
Find a spot!
Strategic Youth Summer Camp
$85 a week, breakfast and lunch included. Ages 5-12, June 5 - August 4. Learn more!
Resident Resource Links
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army offers special one-time assistance to help you pay your rent.
Leon County School Calendar
Catholic Charities, NWFLT, Emergency Assistance
Free food and meals help with electric bills, grocery vouchers, Christmas and Thanksgiving meals, and more.
Domestic Violence Protections (VAWA)
Hurricane Season Started June 1st
Hurricane season began June 1st, with officials predicting 12 to 17 named tropical storms will develop in the Atlantic this year. Five to nine of those systems could become hurricanes and as many as four could strengthen into major hurricanes at Category 3 or stronger, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
What can you do now?
Download this Hurricane Preparedness Checklist from ISF. Inc to make sure you have a plan!
How to Improve Your Credit Score
- Build Your Credit File
- Don't Miss Payments
- Catch Up On Past-Due Accounts
- Pay Down Revolving Account Balances
- Limit How Often You Apply for New Accounts
Credit Education Resources
What Affects Your Credit Scores?
Learn how different types of accounts and actions can impact your credit scores.
How to Calculate Credit Card Utilization:
Your credit utilization rate can have a big impact on your scores. The math is easy, but there are common misunderstandings about which numbers to use.
Credit Repair:
How to "Fix" Your Credit Yourself: Find out how you can improve your credit for free.
4 Simple Habits That Build Good Credit:
Follow these simple rules for building and maintaining good credit.
What Is a Bad Credit History and Rating?:
If your credit needs some work, learn more about why you may have a bad credit score and what you can do about it.
Which Debts Should I Pay Off First to Improve My Credit?:
Prioritizing certain bills can be important when you're trying to increase your credit scores.
Credit Myths:
Learn the truth and don't get caught off guard.
Resident Highlights & Community News
Neighborhood Updates
Security!
Pinewood Place is installing surveillance cameras!
ATTENTION Pinewood Place Residents
Please do not send small children to take out the trash who cannot reach the dumpster door. They are placing the bags on the ground instead. Management has also observed adults who dispose of their garbage in this same manner. Residents should not fill trash bags to the point they are too heavy to lift inside the dumpster.
Section VIII. (G) of your Lease states that Residents are to:
"Dispose of all garbage, rubbish, and other waste (including used cooking oil) from the dwelling in a sanitary and safe manner only in containers approved by THA" and to "Refrain from, and cause members of Residents household or guest to refrain from littering or leaving trash and debris in common area."
ATTENTION Scattered Sites Residents
Please keep your lawns cut this summer. Individuals residing in a scattered site home asssume the responsibility of the upkeep of the lawn. According to your lease, Section VI, Item (e)(2): THA may move a Resident into another unit if it is determined necessary to rehabilitate or demolish Resident's unit or if maintenance conditions in the Resident's unit, building or site pose an immediate, verifiable threat to life, health or safety of the Resident or family members that cannot be abated within 24 hours.
Resident Highlight
Congratulations Graduate!
Micah Drayton graduated from Saint John Paul II Catholic High School and has an academic scholarship to the University of West Florida, where has committed to play football!
What Is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth commemorates an effective end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for "June Nineteenth") marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops' arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday.
Gun violence is the leading cause of death for African American young men (15 to 24) in the United States.
June is #GunViolenceAwarenessMonth
Cooking Oil Recycling Program
F.R.O.G. Will Clog
Never put these down the drain!
Fats
- Butter
- Shortening
- Margarine
- Nut Butter
- Meat Trimmings
- Milk
- Cream
- Cheeses
- Sour Cream
- Ice Cream
Rags
- Wipes
- Diapers
- Paper Towels
- Cotton Balls
Oils
- Salad Dressings
- All Food Based Oils
- Vegetable
- Canola
- Corn
- Olive
Grease
- Gravy
- Mayonnaise
- Coconut Oil
- Melted Meat Fat
- From products like Bacon and Sausage
Give Us Your Grease
Recycle your used oil or dispose in the trash. The City of Tallahassee's Alternative Fuel Program promotes sustainability and saves money by making biofuel from used cooking oil to power many City trucks and vehicles.
How to Recycle Used Cooking Oil
- Cool - Allow cooking oil to cool
- Collect - Pour cooled oil into non-breakable containers
- Contribute - Drop off at any of our collection sites
Fuel Program Recycling Sites
- City of Tallahassee Fleet Management Department, 400 Dupree Street
- City of Tallahassee Community Beautification and Waste Management Facility, 2727 Municipal Way
- Fort Braden Rural Waste Service Center, 2485 East Joe Thomas Road
- Woodville Rural Waste Service Center, 549 Henry Jones Road
- Miccosukee Rural Waste Service Center, 13051 Miccosukee Road
Other Tips
If you have City Sewer Service:
- Plant trees and shrubs away from sewer lines to avoid damage to your sewer from roots.
- Call before you dig (811).
- Replace broken or missing cleanout caps.
- Replace broken or missing cleanout caps.
- Remember that homeowners are responsible for maintaining their service lines (the sewer pipe from the road to your house).
If you have a septic tank in the City limits:
- Contact the City to see if you qualify for a septic-to-sewer connection. Call 850.891.6144. Grants may be available.
- Pump out the septic tank every 3-5 years.
- Keep drain fields clean and free of debris and heavy items that can compact the soil such as:
- Cars, boats and other vehicles
- Gardens, raise vegetable beds, plants, shrubs, and trees
- Pools and sheds
- Consider installing an advanced septic tank system for enhanced nutrient removal.
These steps help protect local springs, lakes, and streams.
THA News & Highlights
Employee Spotlight
Christopher Simmons
William Arnold
Thank you for doing a great job landscaping at the Orange Avenue Redevelopment site.
Thank You!
Tallahassee Housing Authority would like to thank Bishop Marc S. Magee and Lady Karisa J. Magree of South Capital Church of God for their generous gift of over 7,500 loads of Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Eco Sheets. This program's mission is to reduce waste from the millions of plastic jugs discarded every year, making each of us an Eco Hero!
Father's Day
Sunday, June 18, 2023
Father's Day is a holiday honoring one's father or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.