The community is invited to attend a ribbon cutting, program, home tour, and reception on Thursday, April 18, at 11 a.m. to celebrate the grand opening of 150 newly built affordable housing homes in Oakland I and II. The event will be held at 402 Keeble Circle in Murfreesboro.
The program will feature remarks by U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Regional Administrator Jennifer Collins, Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland, Oakland resident John Verge, and MHA CEO Thomas Rowe. Due to limited parking, attendees are advised to park at Oaklands Park or along nearby streets.
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The Oakland I and II neighborhoods, situated on 20 acres between North Academy and Maney Avenues, previously had 75 homes built in the 1950s. The redevelopment process, which began seven years ago, aimed to replace all old government-financed public housing in Murfreesboro with investor-financed affordable housing. The project was completed in phases to accommodate residents moving to temporary housing during construction.
MHA manages Oakland I and II and is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the homes, which are all rented to residents. Families living in these neighborhoods pay 30 percent of their income for rent and utilities. The redevelopment was driven by changes in federal funding for public housing across the country, with no new public housing built in the United States since 1996.
The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program was developed to address this issue, allowing public housing authorities like MHA to enter into long-term Housing Assistance Payments contracts and secure financing for improvements through public and private debt and equity. The newly built Oakland I and II is funded by secured loans and Low Income Housing Tax Credits issued by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.
MHA plans to redevelop two additional public housing neighborhoods in Murfreesboro: Mercury Court and Parkside. The new Oakland neighborhood has received praise from the MHA Board of Directors and CEO for its improved living conditions and overall value to the community. Community input played a significant role in the design of the neighborhood, which doubled the number of housing units available on the same acreage. However, there are still more than 1,000 families on the waiting list for affordable housing in Murfreesboro.
The Murfreesboro Housing Authority, a quasi-governmental corporation established in 1950, aims to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing for eligible low-income families while maximizing the social and economic opportunities of its residents.
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