New developments underway with Columbus Housing Authority

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Big changes coming soon to a public housing complex in Columbus.

The Housing Authority will be renovating Warren Williams Homes and building new apartments at another location.

The Warren Williams property will be undergoing major renovations and new apartments will be built on Victory Drive and Veterans Parkway where the Booker T. Washington Homes used to be located. Residents who lived in the area for 20-plus years tell News Leader 9 that these renovations are a long time coming.

Warren William Homes, established in 1945, has reached its turn in the Housing Authorities plan to renovate. According to The Housing Authority, this plan is from 20 years ago.

“We are now putting Warren William Apartments back on the map,” said Flora Ramsey, President of the Resident’s Council.

New park spaces, improvements to basketball courts and some pavilions are all part of the plan.

“Things that are about making your outside of your development habitable, friendly, better,” said Lord AECK Sargent Robert Begle.

Begle says they are also revamping the interior of the homes.

“When you look at the current buildings, they haven’t been renovated in a long time - they look institutional, they kind of look like barracks yet some people have lived here for forty years,” said Begle.

One resident, Vera Mark, says the apartments are nice now, but they could use a little space.

“They are real nice, but the rooms just ain’t big enough, so when they finish it will be nice.”

Begle says when they finish, spacing won’t be a problem and improvements will include new kitchen appliances, flooring, paint jobs and tearing down walls.

“So it will feel like a whole new apartment when it’s all said and done,” said Begle.

Something residents are looking forward to.

“Everything that they are doing now is going to be better for Warren Williams,” said resident Vera Marks.

“New stoves because we have little tin cans right now,” said another resident.

Renovating current apartments is only one part of this plan - the other part is new affordable housing on Victory Drive and Veterans Parkway where the old Booker T. Washington homes used to be.

Begle says they are very early in the process and do not have a budget yet. However, he says when the renovations begin people will have to be located but they are not sure where and how just yet.

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