MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Goodwill Village Apartments received loads of money from the Federal Government, and yet they couldn’t keep it up to code.
There were complaints of rats, insects, mold and unsanitary conditions.
With all the free taxpayer money, WREG wanted to know how did it get this bad.
Friday, WREG’s Molly Smith sat down with Richard Hamlet, the head of the Cordova based Global Ministries Foundation.
” I’ve made some mistakes here, I admit it,” he said when we pressed him for answers. “Nobody should have to live under these conditions.”
But they have been, for years.
And HUD officials said GMF’s been getting a lot of federal funding, in the mean time.
“This did not happen overnight, and it’s not going to be fixed overnight,” said James King a Pastor at Goodwill Village.
He said word of a new management team taking over was helping morale.
“I initially became aware of Goodwill Village in my role on the Shelby County Crime Commission,” said Pearce Ledbetter with Ledic Realty.
He said he was very familiar with the problems in this neighborhood, and believed the first step was getting all the families out of these sub-standard apartments.
He wanted to see them placed in hotels with GMF footing the bills.
Tenants told WREG they were ready to see the sweeping changes being promised, and we know the feds and the city will be watching.
Tennessee Housing Development Agency
Section 8 General Information and Complaint Line
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
1-800-314-9320
Memphis HUD Office
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.