Huntsville Housing Authority shares updates at annual meeting

HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WHNT) — Community partners gathered today at Huntsville Housing Authority’s annual meeting.

Their main focus was sharing how they are improving affordable housing for Huntsville residents.

“We’re just kind of informing the community on updates from the housing authority, giving our developers and community leaders the opportunity to come together and see what we can do to impact affordable housing in the area,” said Antonio McGinnis.

One of the main updates was the details behind a $50 million grant awarded to the city.

“That $50 million grant is going to give us an opportunity to redevelop our Butler Terrace community, which is one of our oldest public housing sites in Huntsville,” said McGinnis.

He is the executive director for Huntsville Housing Authority, and he said this grant gives them the opportunity to transform the area.

“I grew up in public housing myself, and to see a neighborhood be able to be transformed like this one is going to be transformed, is going to do wonders for the young people who look like me, who grew up in a neighborhood now and, going to give them opportunity to just dream big and feel like they’re a part of this bigger community that we live in,” said McGinnis.

Jennifer Riley Collins serves as the regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

She was the guest speaker at the luncheon and shared where Huntsville stands among other affordable housing markets in the region.

“There’s a housing crisis across America and some of the issues that Huntsville is facing when it comes to housing prices is no different than communities across the country.”

This new development in the Mill Creek area will add 700 new homes and looks to help this crisis.

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