Frank Gargiulo went door-to-door to talk to people about plans to build or improve the alley behind their homes in Farrell.

And while more than half of those he talked to appear to have accepted the Mercer County Housing Authority HOPE VI coordinator's explanation, quite a few didn't.

"I would bet my life eight out of 10 people who received those letters don't know what they mean," said Farrell Councilman Louis Falconi.

Officials behind the redevelopment of Steel City Terrace are asking residents for temporary construction easements so construction workers can go onto their properties during the alley work.

"We would return everybody's yard that we use back to form," said developer Ralph Falbo.

The authority and Falbo are building new public housing apartments, apartments for rent at closer to the market rate and homes for sale on Steel City property and in the surrounding area.

A woman who lives in the 200 block of Fruit Avenue asked if her mother, whose garage is at the edge of an alley slated for work, still would be able to use it.

Falbo said the woman would be able to use the garage throughout construction, and would have better access to it afterward.

Another woman, who lives at Highland Street and Spearman Avenue, asked how the alley work would effect her property taxes.

Officials said her taxes would not change. She seemed to believe that developers were asking her to give up three feet of her property, but developers said that is not the case.

While city officials said they were worried about plans to change the grade of property adjoining the alley, landscape engineer Brian Almeter explained the slope of the land is higher by two to three feet on one side than it is on the other. Grade changes would be made to direct the flow of storm water.

In the cases where the alley meets a street, such as at Highland and Spearman, the grade will have to be changed to keep car exhausts and back ends from hitting the pavement every time they enter or exit the alley, he said

"We want to make this as aesthetic and usable as possible," Almeter said.

Of the about 50 letters sent out, 28 have come back with signed easements. Southwest Gardens Economic Development Corp. is the only property owner known to flat out refuse to sign, Gargiulo said. Southwest Gardens owns four properties in the work area.

Dr. Kimberley Richards, co-executive director of Southwest Gardens, said residents want to know what they are going to get for signing the easements. She believes signatures should be tied to improvements at Rosetta Ragster/Southwest Gardens Park.

Falbo said developers wanted to build a new community center and playground, but could not find the money to do it. Instead, the existing community building will be renovated and a new playground built for use by children ages 11 and younger.

Falbo pledged to meet with any property owners with questions about the easements and other plans.

Falconi asked that someone from the development team attend all future council meetings to give council members and the public a chance to learn of the progress of work and alert developers to problems.