MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In January, citing safety and sanitary concerns, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ended its contract with the owner of Peppertree Apartments.
Those in the process of moving out of Peppertree Apartments were updated this week about their options as they move forward in the relocation process.
For Peppertree resident, Betty Gaines, it's the unknown that feels scary.
“How about you lose your job and you don’t know how you’re going to pay the rent. That’s how it feels not knowing where I’m going to go,” said Gaines.
She has lived at Peppertree Apartments for 34 years and has seen it at its best and worst. “Some of the things were the shooting, the fighting,” said Gaines. “They don’t fix them up like they should. It took me a year to get a refrigerator.”
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced they were ending their deal with the apartment building’s owner. Now, residents are forced to move out soon.
“I cried. That’s been my home for 34 years. I just didn’t want to move right there and then,” said Gaines.
Thursday, Leumas, a company helping residents with relocation, Memphis Housing Authority, and HUD met with Peppertree residents to walk them through the housing voucher process.
“With the program, they have 120 days with the housing choice voucher and they can move anywhere in the nation,” said Kenneth Free, HUD State Field Office Director of Tennessee.
The vouchers are based on the family size and certain requirements, but housing advocates want more details.
“It’s a matter of when, where, how they’ll receive the vouchers. There’s concerns about what happens to their deposits, who keeps up with maintenance issues,” said Chase Madkins, All City Tenants Initiative. The organization is also assisting residents with relocation.
Madkins said the group tried requesting meetings with these agencies for months. “Anytime you meet the source with the need, it’s always a win,” said Madkins. “I just wish that we don’t have to bang pots or throw rocks or wait for buildings to collapse for that to happen.”
As for Gaines, these interactions put her more at ease for her next move. “I feel encouraged. I feel it’s going to get better for us,” said Gaines.
Another challenge for Peppertree residents is finding landlords who will accept those housing vouchers. HUD has provided a list of partnering landlords. They are also paying for gas for residents to go out and look at apartments.