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Officials queasy about evicting poor

Early edition: The buyer of a St. Petersburg public housing complex once pledged not to put anyone out.

By CURTIS KRUEGER and AARON SHAROCKMAN
Published December 19, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG — The decision to move 300 residents out of a public housing complex has created a backlash from City Council members, St. Petersburg’s mayor and even some members of the housing board that approved the deal.

“I can’t rest knowing that we’re putting this many people back on the street with no place to go,” said St. Petersburg Housing Authority board member David Welch.

The Housing Authority has approved the sale of the complex to a private developer, Vector Realty, which initially promised that no one would have to move out. But this month, the Housing Authority told residents they would have to leave. Vector plans to convert the 486-unit Graham-Rogall complex near Tropicana Field to condominiums.

“I’m very disappointed in Vector,” Housing Authority board member Paul Yingst said. “It’s pretty traumatic for the residents to have to relocate.”

Mayor Rick Baker said the immediate focus needs to be helping the residents of the complex. But he also said the Housing Authority’s actions warrant review.

“I’ve not heard enough to give me comfort,” he said.
Welch and housing board member Deveron Gibbons said the Housing Authority should at least consider voiding the sales contract.

But St. Petersburg Housing Authority executive director Darrell Irions said “nobody’s going to be left on the street, no one’s going to be left out there without help.”

Irions said about $1-million of the pending $12.3-million sale would go to help the complex’s low-income elderly and disabled residents move into different housing, where they still would receive rent subsidies. The rest of the cash would allow the agency to buy or build more affordable housing units in the city.

“Hopefully, the best thing will be done in the long run for the residents,” said board member Harry Harvey, who spent some of his teenage years in public housing in Sanford.

The Housing Authority for years has pondered selling the Graham-Rogall complex, partly because “it’s obsolescent, it’s expensive to maintain, it’s a safety hazard,” housing board member Walt Smyth said.

For example, the housing authority had to spend $1-million to install sprinklers. He said the elevators hold only one motorized scooter at a time, which raises questions about how quickly disabled residents could evacuate the building.

Irions said the Housing Authority in 2004 sought out purchase offers, and “we were going after the highest dollar,” so that the authority could use the money to pay for the most new housing.

Irions said although the Housing Authority did not require potential buyers to guarantee residents could continue living there, the agency asked them if they would. And the winning bidder, Vector Realty, said yes.

On March 3, 2004, Vector said in a letter that “under no circumstances will we relocate the existing tenants.” The company wrote later that month that it planned “to leave the Graham-Rogall complex as apartments for the next three to five years.”

[Last modified December 19, 2006, 21:28:23]