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Housing Authority officials say that with funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, they will make physical improvements to its properties that will both benefit the lives of public housing residents and extend the life of its buildings.
Jon Gresley, the Housing Authority's executive director, said in a statement, "This substantial amount of money will allow the Oakland Housing Authority to make significant improvements to the condition of its properties."
Housing Authority officials say they have many repair projects in the pipeline that have been waiting for funding for years and will immediately put out "calls for proposals or bids" to local contractors so that they can address deterioration in their rental properties.
They say the new financial support will put people to work quickly and help local businesses through the purchase of building supplies and services related to the construction effort.
In addition, they say the improvements will raise the quality of housing for Oakland's public housing residents.
The Oakland Housing Authority says it provides housing for about 10 percent of Oakland's families, with 3,221 public housing units in its stock. The average income of OHA families is about $15,000.
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