Members of the Augusta Housing Authority and its attorney met with a slew of questions at the April 12 Public Services Committee meeting to discuss complaints against W.C. Ervin Towers – complaints that all seem to be coming from one resident.
The Augusta Commission has singled out several local low-income housing properties across the city in an effort to raise living standards or at least bring the apartment complexes up to modern code.
One particular housing complex, W.C. Ervin Towers, located at 1365 Laney Walker Blvd., has long vexed the Augusta Commission because while the city owns the 10-story public housing complex, it is governed by the Augusta Public Housing Authority.
Unlike with private apartment complexes, the Augusta Planning and Zoning Department has no jurisdiction to inspect Ervin Towers, cannot write citations and cannot levy fines.
Of late, commissioners have been told that fire alarms, emergency pull cords and lights in the stairwells are inoperable, the heating and air system is faulty, and the plumbing leaks throughout the building.
Christopher Cosper, the housing authority’s attorney from the Hull Barrett Law Firm, admitted that the towers, which were built in 1967, are in need for upgrades and modernization, but added that the agency is waiting on the funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to be released.
Otherwise, Cosper maintained that the Augusta Housing Authority has spent more than $400,000 over the past several years making sure the building adheres to state guidelines.
“The housing authority has already engaged an architect who has plans for the renovation of the building. The project’s scope was designed to be $10 million. HUD has set a cap of $13.25 million that can be invested into this particular project, unfortunately the project estimate based on this particular design is something like $21.5 million,” Cosper said.
According to Cosper, the Augusta Housing Authority is rated by HUD as a high performing agency and that complaints are handled immediately.
Cosper confirmed what Augusta Planning and Zoning Interim Director Carla Delaney alluded to at the March 30 commission meeting when the issue was discussed — the vast and overwhelming number of complaints about Ervin Towers is coming from one resident, Joseph Williams.
Williams has spoken before the commission three times, and yet, Cosper says that Williams has never shown up for any housing authority meetings, which are open to the public.
“I believe that every concern made by Mr. Williams has been addressed. I’m a little disappointed he is addressing them through this body rather than work orders or through the system,” Cosper said.
According to Cosper, Williams complained about a leak in his apartment, so he and another tenant were moved to different units. Then Williams complained that the heating system did not work.
The maintenance staff investigated Williams’ claim and found the apartment to be 80 degrees inside. Williams still was not satisfied, so the maintenance team brought him a space heater, but Williams refused to use it for fear of burning down the building.
Apparently, Williams’ fear of fire is so great that he has developed the habit of pulling the fire alarm and then recording the fire department’s response times, according to Cosper.
Despite Cosper’s explanations and Augusta Fire Chief Antonio Burden’s assessment that the building was up to fire code, some commissioners still were not satisfied with District 4 Commissioner Alvin Mason lamenting that the city had no jurisdiction over the property.
District 1 Commissioner Jordan Johnson took time to remind the body that he grew up in Dogwood Terrace and that all he wanted as a child was to be able to move out of public housing.
However, before closing the discussion, commissioners seemed to want a pledge from Cosper that the Augusta Housing Authority would not evict Williams over his antics.
“I don’t have anywhere to put him,” District 6 Commissioner Ben Hasan said.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
