USDA Rural Development Jackson Area Director Arlisa Armstrong today joined representatives of Bolivar Housing, L.P., Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) and Sterling Bank at an Open House to celebrate the newly-renovated Ridgecrest Apartments.
"It is often a challenge to find safe, affordable rental housing in our rural communities,” Armstrong said. “THDA and Sterling Bank have been great partners with Bolivar Housing, marshaling resources to make the needed improvements and literally transform this complex.”
Hardeman County is one of 53 counties in Tennessee designated for support under USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity initiative, which aims to increase investments in rural communities through intensive outreach and strong partnerships with other federal, state, and local agencies, community leaders, businesses, foundations, and other groups that are working to combat persistent poverty.
Through USDA RD’s Multi-Family Housing Program in collaboration with THDA and Sterling Bank, Ridgecrest Apartments received the funds needed to make extensive repair and improvements to the aging complex originally built in 1981 to provide 50 units of elderly housing to Bolivar residents. Renovations include new roofs, windows, gutters, exterior doors and storm doors as well as vinyl siding. The resurfaced parking lot freshly striped and new sidewalks provide accessible ramps along with new handrails and mailboxes. New exercise equipment and furnishings fill the expanded Community Room. All units received new floor covering, interior doors, new appliances, new kitchen and bathroom vanity cabinets, new bathroom fixtures, water heaters and HVAC units; and designated accessible units received new accessibility features.
Others participating in the event include Bolivar City Mayor Barrett Stevens, Sr., City Administrator Shelia Dellinger, THDA West TN Liaison Aubrie Kobernus, Hardeman County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kandy Shackelford, CMS TN Communities Herbert J. Peterson III and USDA Rural Development Housing Programs Director Don Harris, Multi-Family Housing Specialist Kathy Connelly, Area Specialist and Technicians Kathy Brantley, Vernice Williams, and Rebecca Meals.
USDA Rural Development is moving investments to rural America with housing, business and infrastructure loans and grants to create jobs and strengthen rural economies with an emphasis to assist areas of persistent poverty. Since 2009, the agency has assisted more than 1.5 million Tennessee families and businesses in 230 communities in all 95 counties of Tennessee, investing more than $5.4 billion through affordable loans, loan guarantees and grants.
For more information on USDA Rural Development programs available in South West Tennessee, call the Jackson Area Office at (731) 668-2091, or visit us online at www.rd.usda.gov/TN.