By Joe Morey News Editor
On April 3, 2019 the Lac Courte Oreilles Housing Authority was notified by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) that it was awarded another Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project.
LCO Housing Authority Director Mark Montano said the project is tentatively scheduled to start before the end of 2019 and will be completed by December 2020.
“The project will consist of the complete rehabilitation of 36 units originally built from 1971 and later that are located in the New Post, Reserve, Bacon Strip, Water Tower, Round Lake, Schoolhouse, Signor and Six Mile communities,” Montano said. “For this project the Housing Authority desired to perform rehabilitation work on some of the first projects built here at LCO.”
The current 2018 LIHTC project underway includes 28 LCO Housing Units being remodeled from November 2, 2018 and scheduled to be completed by December of 2019. These homes were originally built from 1974 through 1989, and are located in the Drytown, Watertower, Bacon Strip, Bacon Square, Gurno Lake, Six Mile, Conger Road and Signor communities.
To date, LCO Housing Authority under these projects since 2014, have remodeled 77 homes. The mold remediation grant saw 21 homes and the first LIHTC saw 24 homes done, and Housing did four homes on their own, prior to the 28 homes being done under the current project.
The newest WHEDA award will make a total of 113 homes rehabilitated by the end of 2020.
After completion, the homes are like brand new homes, said one of the new tenants, Sharon Starr when she was able to move back into her home in February.
Greg Johnson, Sr. Project Manager from Woodstone, said seven homes are done at a time while the families are moved into temporary housing. It takes eight and a half weeks to complete the renovation.
“We have portable storage units placed on each site, so the families are able to leave their belongings there and only bring what they need with them. It makes it a lot easier,” explained Montano.
Each home has new energy efficient HVAC systems with central air conditioning. Montano said the central air helps improve air quality in the home with less humidity.
Rehabilitation work under the current LIHTC Project includes the following:
Demolition Phase; Removal/Demo of exterior and interior materials with the exception of acceptable framing, floor structures and roof structures; Removal of HVAC components, domestic water lines and related fixtures; Select demolition of foundation walls due to bowed walls and failing block.
Reconstruction Phase; Select homes will receive exterior foundational waterproofing and drain tile; Installation of an egress window in all basements; Landscaping to improve water drainage away from house; High performance building envelope; Insulation R values will be increased from R-13 to R-20 on exterior walls and R-20 to R-50 in the ceilings; High performance siding; Metal roofing with seamless gutter system; New windows, doors, solid core interior doors, cabinetry and interior finishes; Upgraded flooring system; 96+ efficient furnaces, central air conditioning, air exchangers and new ductwork; Installation of new PEX domestic water lines and fixtures; Replacement of internal plumbing lines; Replacement of septic systems where required; LED energy efficient lighting; Installation of garages at locations where none exist; New porches and covered porches, sidewalks; Moisture activated exhaust fans; Commercial grade locks and hardware; Americans with Disabilities Act compatible upgrades in select homes.