MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Attorneys for the city and the troubled Serenity Towers are scheduled to go back to Shelby County Environmental Court Thursday, where we should get an update on the relocation plan for residents.
Ahead of Thursday’s court appearance, the WREG Investigators learned no residents have moved yet, despite a May deadline for relocation.
“The conditions remain stable,” said Will Gibbons, Assistant City Attorney.
A spokesperson for the Memphis Housing Authority told NewsChannel 3 that out of the 145 seniors that must be moved, nine have currently identified units and submitted applications for approval. Those nine residents who are further along in the process pay market rate rent for their apartments at Serenity, which is primarily government subsidized.
The spokesperson further explained, “The remaining residents are shopping for housing with the assistance of the relocation team.”
There are 95 residents who receive assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and 50 residents who pay market rate.
“They have about 60 days to relocate, but that is oftentimes and probably in this case will also be extended,” said Marcus Ward, Special Master. “We want to make sure the tenants are moving into units that are safe, sanitary, affordable, and suitable for their occupancy. We don’t want to have anybody just going out and finding somewhere to live that is – that is going to put them in a worse situation than what they are in now.”
After years of violations that left residents in unsafe conditions, as exposed by the WREG Investigators, and a recent push from the city, the property was declared a chronic nuisance by the Shelby County Environmental Court. The judge also deemed the property uninhabitable and required all residents to be relocated by May 23rd.
The MHA spokesperson told WREG that seniors will get assistance with “temporary” housing if they haven’t found a permanent new home by then.
“We are going to stay on a 30-day reset until we can continue to see the move-out completed,” said Judge Patrick Dandridge, Environmental Court.
HUD canceled its Housing Assistance Payment contract with Serenity’s owner, Millennia, and that money will now go to the residents in the form of vouchers.
MHA took over the day-to-day operations at Serenity and is also assisting HUD with the relocation.
When a similar relocation plan took place at Peppertree Apartments, the city offered incentives to landlords in hopes of finding more people who were willing to rent to the displaced residents. MHA isn’t currently offering incentives but said they are encouraging all landlords and property owners to open units to residents with Tenant Protection Vouchers. MHA said there’s a high need for one-bedroom units.
The next court date is scheduled for April 3.
