Utica & Rome Low Income Housing Apartments to be renovated
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By GARY LIBERATORE
Story Created:
Aug 27, 2010 at 11:20 AM EST
Story Updated:
Aug 27, 2010 at 1:14 PM EST
ROME, N.Y. (WKTV) - Bonnie Platt has lived at the Liberty Gardens Apartments in Rome for about ten years. She says seven years ago, she went to Rome's City Hall to complain about the conditions. Now, seven years later, her apartment is one of 78 to soon be renovated.
On Friday morning, outside of Platt's apartment, Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito held a press conference to announce the beginning of some major renovations to the Liberty Gardens Apartments complex.
Liberty Gardens will undergo millions of dollars in renovations thanks to a combination of low interest loans and tax credits from the state. The funds are from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal's (DHCR) 2010 Unified Funding Round.
78 out of the 180 units will be refurbished, and there will also be two brand new buildings built as well.
Destito says low interest loans will also be made available to make improvements to the Kennedy Plaza Apartments in Utica. Destito says for her, this announcement all began when City of Rome officials asked her to visit the Liberty Garden Apartments two winters ago. She says she toured some of the apartments, "we saw windows icing up on the inside, we saw pillows and blankets keeping the cold and air out. I saw electrical outlets not up to code. We just saw a lot of things that just shouldn't be, and people should not have to live in that environment."
Destito says Bonnie Platt is a good example that one voice can make a difference. Renovations on both complexes are expected to begin soon.
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