Published Saturday, September 23, 2000
MERCER COUNTY
HUD gives housing units ‘pretty good’ grades
By Joe PinchotHerald Staff Writer
Mercer County Housing Authority got pretty good grades in a federally mandated inspection of its buildings.
This was the first year for a full-fledged inspection under the Department and Housing and Urban Development’s Public Housing Assessment System, which issues an annual report card of all authorities.
Inspectors found items deemed a threat to health and safety that had to be addressed immediately in only one complex, Steel City Terrace, Farrell.
Inspectors visited 21 of the 100 apartments in Steel City and found a broken bathroom door latch, a broken cover plate for an electrical outlet and a broken back door that didn’t lock. Those items were fixed the day they were discovered, said authority Executive Director L. DeWitt Boosel.
Even though the authority hopes to demolish Steel City in a couple of years, the buildings must be maintained in livable conditions until then, he said. "We’re trying to be sensible about it," he said.
Steel City and Mesabi Street, Sharon, each received the lowest scores, registering 83 of 100 points.
Scores of other communities:
"I think it was pretty much what we expected," Boosel said.
The inspectors worked for an independent company and were hired by HUD. They looked at apartments, exteriors conditions, common grounds, and office and maintenance buildings.
The inspections covered things such as the conditions of windows and doors, appliances, light switches, debris and litter, broken steps, vegetation on buildings and gutters.
"It is so vast what they are looking for," Boosel said. "They look at everything."