♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

WE LOOK INSIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING "INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

LOUISVILLE METRO IS EXPERIENCING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

MORE THAN 36,000 RENTAL UNITS ARE NEEDED TO MEET THE DEMAND OF A RISING POPULATION.

MEANTIME, MORE THAN 40% OF PEOPLE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY ARE SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING.

20% ARE SPENDING MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING.

MAYOR GREENBERG SAID THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE AND THE CITY NEEDS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

>> THERE IS A HUGE NEED FOR HOUSING IN OUR CITY.

LET'S SUPPORT OUR CITY.

LET'S THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND I'LL TELL YOU, BULL IT COUNTY, OLDHAM COUNTY, E-TOWN, THEY'RE ALL BUILDING HOUSING.

DO WE WANT LOUISVILLE TO BE A SUBURB TO BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY?

THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE DON'T SUPPORT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE NEED MORE HOUSING OF ALL TYPE IN EVERY PART OF OUR CITY.

>> LAST YEAR THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED AN AMBITIOUS GOAL TO BUILD MORE THAN 15,000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEXES IN THE CITY AND HE BROUGHT IN A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR LOUISVILLE METRO PUBLIC HOUSING.

ELIZABETH STROJAN IS A LOUISVILLE NATIVE WHO HAS SPENT MOST OF HER CAREER IN NEW YORK CITY.

MOST RECENTLY AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE LARGEST MUNICIPAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY.

WHEN SHE TOOK THIS POSITION HERE LAST YEAR, ONE OF HER FIRST STOPS WAS AT DOSKER MANOR, A THREE BUILDING HIGH RISE PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX AT THE EDGE OF DOWNTOWN IN LOUISVILLE'S PHOENIX HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD.

SHE DESCRIBED THE LIVING CONDITIONS THERE AS DEPLORABLE AND SOON ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO TEAR IT DOWN AND REBUILD ON THE PROPERTY.

RIGHT NOW THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF RELOTING MORE THAN 500 RESIDENTS WHO CALL IT HOME.

HERE IS YOUR LOOK INSIDE DOSK DOSKER MANOR.

>> YOU WILL SEE GATES ON THE WINDOWS AND SCREWS IN THE DOORS.

SOME DOORS HAVE THE DEAD BELT REMOVED.

>> KEVIN WALLER HAS BEEN WORKING IN MAINTENANCE AT LOUISVILLE'S DOSKER MANOR FOR FIVE YEARS AND NOW HIS MAIN JOB IS KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE VACANT RUPEES.

>> LET'S HAVE SOME FUN TRYING TO DETOUR PEOPLE FROM ENTERING INTO THESE APARTMENTS, SQUATTING.

>> IN THE YEARS SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED THIS PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX WOULD BE DEMOLISHED MORE THAN 300 RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN MOVED OUT THE VAST MAJORITY ARE MOVING TO OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING SITES.

JANICE LAMBERT IS 70 YEARS OLD AND WILL BE MOVING SOON AFTER LIVING HERE FOR THE LAST DECADE.

>> I SEE THE SUNSET EVERY EVENING AND MY WINDOW GIVES ME THE FIREWORKS EVERY DERBY.

NO ONE HAS ACTUALLY VISITED ME, IT'S ALL RIGHT.

>> THAT'S PRIME LOCATION, MORE THAN FIVE ACRES NEAR DOWNTOWN WAS KEY WHEN THE THREE HIGH RISE BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1964 AND 1972 THEY WERE LOUISVILLE'S FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING HIGH RISE SITES AND THE FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING DEDICATED TO LOW INCOME SENIORS WITH ELEVATORS AND ON SITE RESOURCES THE COMFLEX WAS NAMED FOR THE HOUSING COMMISSION FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

HE IS REGARDED BY MANY AS THE FATHER OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN LOUISVILLE.

DOSKER MANOR OPENED AFTER HIS DEATH.

>> EVERYBODY KNOW MY NAME, LIKE NORM.

>> ROCHELLE BURTON HAS WORKED AT DOSKER MANOR FOR 31 YEARS.

SHE SAYS ITS DOWNFALL BEGAN WHEN THE POPULATION HERE CHANGED.

>> IT WAS MOSTLY SENIORS HERE AND THEY TOLD ME THE STORY, WHEN THE BUILDING WAS FIRST BUILT, YOU COULDN'T COME THROUGH HERE TRESPASSING.

IT WAS GATES.

YOU COULDN'T COME.

THE SECURITY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T COME THROUGH HERE.

SO THEY MIX IN AND THINGS CHANGED.

SO, AS YOU SEE, THINGS CHANGE AS TIME JUMPIN, GOES ON.

>> IN ADDITION TO YOUNGER FOLKS MOVING IN, FUNDING CUTS AT BOTH THE FEDERAL AND LOCAL LEVEL LED TO DECADES OF NEGLECT, SENDING THE COMPLEX INTO DIRE DISREPAIR.

>> IT BECAME ABOVE THEM WHERE THEY COULDN'T KEEP IT UP.

COULDN'T DO IT.

YOU KNOW, THE PIPES AND STUFF, THE CRACK STORE COMMENT.

SO IT STARTED GOING DOWNHILL AND WE STILL, LIKE NOW, TRYING TO KEEP IT UP THE BEST WE CAN.

IT'S GETTING WORSE, YOU KNOW, WATER DAMAGE AND WE COULDN'T KEEP UP.

LIKE I SAID, WE NEEDED MORE WITH LESS AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES.

>> THIS WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TRY TO STEP IN HERE OR NOT.

>> IN RECENT YEARS, THE COMPLEX HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH REPORTS OF EVERYTHING FROM MOLD, BED BUGS TO ANIMALS AND EVEN HUMAN REMAINS FOUND INSIDE.

>> JUST LAST MONTH I HAD ONE MOUSE THAT WAS GOING FROM ONE PART OF THE LIVING ROOM TO THE KITCHEN TO THE BEDROOM, TO THE BATHROOM AND BABIES AND THEY ALL STARVED TO DEATH.

EVERY SPRING, THE POPULATION OF INSECTS GROWS, BUT THE AIR CONDITIONING KEEPS IT DOWN.

IF IT'S COLD, IT WILL KEEP THE ANIMALS, THE CREATURES FROM MOVING AROUND SO MUCH.

>> MANY OF THE RESIDENTS HERE ARE GLAD TO ESCAPE THE LIVING CONDITIONS, BUT MANY ARE STILL UNSURE WHERE THEY WILL END UP NEXT.

>> NOW THAT I'M GOING, I HATE TO SEE IT GO.

I FUSS AND FUSS.

I DO.

I HATE TO SEE IT GO BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GO.

>> THIS IS NOT PLACE WHERE PEOPLE DIED.

PEOPLE LIVED HERE.

IT'S NOT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ONLY CAME HERE TO DIE.

I MEAN SOME PEOPLE WERE IN THEIR 90s WHEN THEY DIED HERE, BUT LET'S FACE IT.

THEY HAVE BEEN HERE NEARLY 30 YEARS.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE ALL BY YOURSELF, AND YOU CAN'T HANDLE BEING BY YOURSELF, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU.

>> WE WELCOME ELIZABETH STROJAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR HOMECOMING NOW, COMING HOME.

YOU HAVE BEEN HERE IN THIS POSITION A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW.

AND WHEN YOU FIRST GOT HERE, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING NEEDED TO STABILIZE FOR ABOUT A YEAR UNTIL YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF YOUR VISION FOR THIS AGENCY.

SO TALK ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE WHEN YOU GOT HERE AND WHERE WE ARE NOW.

A YEAR LATER.

>> SURE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON.

I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES AND I TRULY BELIEVE IT, IT IS THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME TO HAVE THIS POSITION IN MY HOMETOWN.

I'M SO THRILLED TO BE BACK IN LOUISVILLE.

I DID SAY THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST A YEAR TO STABILIZE.

BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, WE'VE DONE A LOT MORE THAN STABILIZE IF THE LAST YEAR.

WE'VE MADE SOME BIG MOVES AND BIG CHANGES.

WHEN I GOT HOME TO LOUISVILLE AND STARTED THIS POSITION, I FOUND AN AGENCY THAT HAD REALLY SUFFERED THROUGH COVID, LIKE MANY AGENCIES, MANY PLACES.

PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES, LIKE THE LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY, HAVE BEEN UNDER FUNDED FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE TO KEEP DOING MORE AND MORE WITH LESS AND LESS, AND THE BUILDINGS GET OLDER AND OLDER.

THE JOB GETS HARDER AND HARDER.

IT'S VERY EASY TO JUST KIND OF STOP DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE YOU TO DO.

AND YOU CAN FOCUS ONE THING AT A TIME.

SO LMHA, WHICH IN ITS HISTORY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF A HIGH PERFORMING AGENCY.

WE WERE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MOVING TO WORK AGENCIES.

YOU HAD TO BE A STRONG HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GET THAT DESIGNATION FROM HUD, WHICH ALLOWS US TO USE OUR BUDGET AUTHORITY TO INNOVATE PROGRAMS.

WE GOT THREE HOPE SIX GRANTS WHEN THAT PROGRAM WAS STILL IN EXISTENCE.

THAT'S HOW WE REDEVELOPED WHAT IS NOW PARK DUVAL, SHEPHERD SQUARE AND LIBERTY GREEN.

WE GOT A CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS GRANT, ALSO SUPER COMPETITIVE FROM HUD.

THAT'S HOW WE REDEVELOPED THE BEACHER TERRACE COMMUNITY.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING.

BUT WE LOST THE ABILITY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO AT ONE TIME.

SO WHEN I GOT IN, EVERY MEETING THAT I WAS IN, I PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF CROSS CUTTING CONVERSATIONS.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT DOSKER?

WHAT IS OUR BUDGET SITUATION?

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH SECTION 8.

IT WAS THE SAME PEOPLE IN EVERY MEETING AND I WAS LIKE WE NEED MORE HELP.

WE NEED MORE CAPACITY AT THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL SO WE CAN LIFT OUR HEADS UP AND THINK STRATEGICALLY.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WAS RESTRUCTURE TEAMS TO SHORE UP OUR LEADERSHIP TEAMS SO WE HAD THE CAPACITY TO EXECUTE ON ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

WE INVESTED IN OUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE TEAMS, OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY TEAMS TO HELP STABILIZE THE PHYSICAL PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTIES THAT WE ADMINISTER.

WE HAD, FRANKLY, A LOT OF CLEANUP TO DO IN SECTION 8.

I BROUGHT IN NEW LEADERSHIP FOR SECTION 8.

WE GOT AN EXTARNAL AUDIT AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE PLAN WITH HUD TO GET THAT PROGRAM BACK ON TRACK.

BUT WE ALSO, WE WEREN'T JUST FOCUSED INTERNALLY.

WE ALSO MADE SOME BIG CHANGES IN HOW WE ARE GOING TO MANAGE OUR PORTFOLIO GOING FORWARD.

I HAD ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW MONTHS WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THAT WE WERE GOING TO RELOCATE EVERYONE FROM DOSKER MANNER-- DOSKER MANOR, REBUILD THE COMMUNITY THE WAY WE HAVE DONE AT PARK DUVAL, SHEPHERD SQUARE, BEACHER GREEN AND LIBERTY TERRACE.

>> THAT WAS A BIG AMBITIOUS GOAL WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED.

AND WE JUST SAW A LITTLE BIT INSIDE DOSKER MANOR.

AND WHEN YOU SAW IT, YOU CALLED IT DEPLORABLE, UNACCEPTABLE AND YOU ALSO CALLED IT A SHOCKING DISPLAY OF MULTIPLE SOCIETAL FAILURES.

>> YES.

>> SO HOW DID DOSKY MANOR GET THERE?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WHAT HAPPENED AT DOSKER MANNER IS IN SOME WAYS INDICATIVE OF THE STORY OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN OUR COUNTRY.

WE INVESTED IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE LATE 30S AS PART OF THE NEW DEAL.

EACH STATE HAD PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES WITHIN IT TO ADMINISTER FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO BUILD THINGS AND WE BUILT FOR DECADES AS PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES.

BUT THEN TOWARD THE END OF THE LAST CENTURY, WE STOPPED INVESTING IN THE UPKEEP THAT WE NEEDED TO DO FOR THOSE BUILDINGS.

SO WE SEE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN LOUISVILLE, THAT OUR PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDINGS JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY HAVE NEEDED.

THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AT DOSKER WERE NOT NECESSARILY AS SURPRISING TO ME AS SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS GOING ON.

THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

BUT IT WASN'T AS SHOCKING AS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS WE SEE THERE.

I MEAN JUST LIKE LEVELS OF CASUAL VIOLENCE THE PEOPLE LIVE WITH EVERY DAY.

ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I MET AT DOSKER MANOR TOLD ME SHE WAS STRUGGLING IN HER RECOVERY BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE DOING DRUGS ON THE PROPERTY.

AND YOU ARE JUST SURROUNDED IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS NOT HEALTHY FOR ANYBODY.

THE WAY THAT THE BUILDINGS WERE DESIGNED, THEY'RE REALLY DIFFICULT TO SECURE.

SO WE HAVE REALLY INVESTED A LOT OF RESOURCES IN SAFETY AND SECURITY THERE AND IT'S STILL VERY DIFFICULT TO SECURE THE PROPERTY AND TO KEEP EVERYBODY IN THERE SAFE.

THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED AT DOSKER IS THAT THE POPULATION CHANGED AND THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT WE WERE PROVIDING DIDN'T KEEP PACE WITH THAT.

AND NONE OF THIS IS ANY ONE PERSON'S FAULT.

THERE IS NO SINGULAR DECISION THAT GOT US HERE.

THE REASON I DESCRIBE IT AS MULTIPLE SOCIETAL FAILURES IS WHAT WE SEE THERE IS A LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE COVERAGE IN OUR COUNTRY.

A LACK OF SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE IN ACTIVE THROES OF ADDICTION.

YOU KNOW, NOT PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO WHEN THEY'RE SUPER POOR OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSING OF LAST RESORT.

SO THERE IS A LOT GOING ON THAT KIND OF GOT THAT PROPERTY IN THAT CONDITION.

WE HAVE RESIDENTS THERE WHO ARE JUST FACING MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO HOUSING.

A LOT OF MENTAL ILLNESS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION AND SO EVERYBODY CAN BE STABLY HOUSED.

THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST BARRIERS TO HOUSING NEED TO BE IN WHAT IS CALLED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

WHICH COUPLES AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH ON SITE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

SO YOU NEED SOMEBODY-- WE ALL NEED SERVICES.

WE Y'ALL HAVE PEOPLE.

WE ALL HAVE NETWORKS THAT CHECK ON US AND HELP TAKE CARE OF US.

WHEN PEOPLE DON'T GET THAT FROM THEIR FAMILY, IT CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE FOR SOCIETY.

YOU SEE PEOPLE CYCLING IN AND OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, THE EMERGENCY ROOMS.

BUT IF HAVE YOU THE APPROPRIATE KIND OF HOUSING, YOU CAN BE STABLY HOUSED AND YOU CAN GET ON YOUR ROAD TO RECOVERY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT AT DOSKER WHEN I GOT HERE.

SO PART OF THE STABILIZATION THERE WAS WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION TO BRING CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ON SITE TO DOSKER.

SO NOW, AS WE ARE YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THE RELOCATION, WE HAVE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF SOCIAL WORKERS, MULTIPLE SOCIAL SERVICE SUPPORTS THERE TO HELP PEOPLE ON THEIR JOURNEY.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED TO DOSKER.

IT WAS AN UNFORTUNATE PERFECT STORM OF THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS, THE SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUES AND A RESIDENT POPULATION THAT HAD JUST BECOME INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE.

>> AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF SOME 3,000 UNITS THAT YOU ALL OWN AND OPERATE.

I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY DOES, BESIDE, YOU KNOW, DOSKER MANOR.

>> YES.

>> BUT THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PRONGS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE PROVIDE PUBLIC HOUSING WHICH THE PHYSICAL UNITS WE OWN AND APPROPRIATE.

ABOUT 3,000 OF THOSE EXIST THROUGHOUT JEFFERSON COUNTY IN 36 DEVELOPMENTS AND THEN ADDITIONAL SCATTER SITES.

WE HAVE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A MAP OF WHERE WE ARE LOCATED, WE ARE REALLY IN ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTY, WHICH IS GREAT.

AND FOR MOST PART, THE DEVELOPMENTS ARE FINE.

AND THE NEIGHBORS PROBABLY DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE UNITS ARE FUNDED.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

THEY'RE JUST PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT WE DO.

UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE MOSTLY KNOWN FOR SOME OF OUR LARGEST FAILURES.

BUT FOR MOST PART, OUR RESIDENTS ARE SUCCEEDING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE IN.

THE SECOND THING WE DO IS WE ADMINISTER THE LARGEST SECTION 8 RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE STATE.

THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WE HAVE OVER 11,000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT USE A VOUCHER FROM THE LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY TO HELP PAY A PORTION OF THEIR RENT.

AND THOSE HOUSEHOLDS LIVE, AGAIN, ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THAT IS PROBABLY OUR LARGEST IMPACT THAT WE ARE HAVING.

THE THIRD THING THAT WE DO IS WE PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF SOCIAL SERVICE SUPPORTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VOUCHER HOLDERS.

WE ARE NOT A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SUPPORTS FOR OUR VOUCHER HOLDERS AND PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS WHO ARE ON A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY.

AND WE OFFER SOME LEVEL OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL WORK HELP FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED A CONNECTION TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE.

SO WE ARE DOING A LOT.

THE IMPACT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTY, IN THIS COMMUNITY IS HUGE.

WE EMPLOY 320 FULL-TIME STAFF.

WE PUT $180 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

WE WORK WITH 400 SMALL BUSINESSES AND CONTRACTORS.

WE ARE A STAPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE ABOUT 2,000 LANDLORD PARTNERS THAT HELP PAY THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS WITH OUR SECTION 8 FINANCING.

SO WE ARE REALLY DOING A LOT.

>> YOUR AGENCY RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.

TELL US WHAT IS THIS AND IT IS A BOLD VISION FOR THIS AGENCY.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED THERE?

>> THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS VERY BOLD, AND SOMEONE GAVE ME A COMMENT AFTER IT CAME OUT.

THEY SAID WELL NOW YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT.

AND I SAID WELL WE ARE ALREADY DOING IT.

A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PLAN, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO DO IN THE LAST YEAR.

SO WE ARE ALREADY ON THE PATH TO FULFILLING A LOT OF WHAT IS IN THERE.

WHEN-- BEFORE I STARTED, I SAID WE WERE GROWING TO HAVE TO WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO ONE MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF A DECADE AND THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT THING.

WE KIND OF HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.

SO THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE HAVE OUTLINED AS AN AGENCY TALKS ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO-- WHAT IS CALLED REPOSITION OUR PORTFOLIO.

WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE 3,000 UNITS AND ALL OF THE PROPERTIES AND FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES EACH PROPERTY NEED.

SOME PROPERTIES HAVE IMMEDIATE NEEDS.

DOSKER, FOR EXAMPLE, ALSO AVENUE PLAZA, PARKWAY PLACE, THOSE ARE OUR OLDEST PROPERTIES.

SOME OF OUR OLDEST PROPERTIES WITH HANDS DOWN THE WORST PHYSICAL CONDITIONS.

SO WE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE NOW TO WORK ON FIXING THOSE PROPERTIES.

BUT WE WILL LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE PRESERVE EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN, DEMOLITION IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.

AND YOU NEVER WANT TO HAVE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE DEMOLISHING AND HAVING TO RELOCATE PEOPLE.

WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING IS AVOIDING THAT IN THE FUTURE.

AND WE HAVE A STRONG TEAM IN PLACE THAT IS WORKING WITH FINANCING PARTNERS, THOUGHT PARTNERS, ADVISERS HERE LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HELP PUT EACH OF THE PROPERTIES ON A STABLE PATH.

>> THIS IS AN OVERALL ISSUE FOR THE CITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND THAT GOES BEYOND PUBLIC HOUSING, OF COURSE.

SO HOW DOES THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FIT INTO THAT KIND OF PUZZLE AND, OVERALL AFFORDABILITY FOR PLACES HERE IN THE CITY?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE SEE IN LOUISVILLE AND IN THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AFFECTS A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE IN MULTIPLE INCOME LEVELS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF AGENCIES, A LOT OF GROUPS THAT ARE HELPING TO PRODUCE MORE HOUSING, HELPING TO PRESERVE HOUSING, HELPING TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO HOUSING.

THE SPACE THAT WE FILL IN THAT SPECTRUM OF HOUSING NEEDS IS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL OF INCOME SPECTRUM.

WE ARE TRULY SAFETY NET HOUSING.

OUR PUBLIC HOUSING AND OUR SECTION 8 VOUCHERS, PEOPLE IN THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE TO MEET FEDERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT WHICH REQUIRE PEOPLE TO BE VERY LOW INCOME.

AND PEOPLE PAY NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT IN THOSE PROGRAMS.

IF YOUR INCOME GOES DOWN AND YOUR HOURS GET CUT AND YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, WE CAN ADJUST YOUR RENT DOWNWARD.

WE ARE TRULY SAFETY NET HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE LOWEST INCOMES, PEOPLE WHO HAVE OFTEN OTHER BARRIERS TO HOUSING.

THAT'S THE SPACE THAT WE ARE FILLING.

SO WE PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE HERE.

ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE IN TOTAL IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, SOME OF THE LOWEST INCOME LOUISVILLIANS, DEPEND ON US FOR HOUSING STABILITY.

SO JUST GENERALLY, WE FEEL A HUGE GAP-- WE FILL A HUGE GAP IN THE HOUSING MARKET THAT IS FAILING PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOMES.

ADDITIONALLY, WE PARTNER VERY CLOSELY WITH MANY OTHER AGENCIES TO HELP INCREASE THE HOUSING SUPPLY BEYOND PUBLIC HOUSING.

SO RECENTLY WE HAVE ISSUED WHAT ARE CALLED PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO HELP FINANCE THE ONGOING OPERATIONS OF MANY UNITS OF HOUSING THROUGHOUT LOUISVILLE.

SO WHEN WE SEE NEW PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNS COMING ONLINE, UNITS COMING ONLINE, WHEN YOU SEE LOW INCOME APARTMENT BUILDINGS MANY ARE SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY BY THE LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY.

NOT ONLY ARE WE DIRECTING HOUSING PEOPLE, BUT WE ARE PARTNERING WITH OTHERS TO HELP INCREASE THE SUPPLY.

WE ARE HOPING ALSO TO BUILD NEW HOUSING WHEREVER POSSIBLE ON SOME OF THE VACANT PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SO WE WANT TO BE A BIGGER PART OF THE SOLUTION.

BUT AT OUR CORE, WE ARE SAFETY NET HOUSING.

>> WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS AGENCY?

I MEAN WE REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING HERE.

BUT YOU'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

>> YES.

>> SO WHAT SORT OF VISION DO YOU HAVE, YOUR GOAL, WHAT IS THE PLAN TO GET THERE?

>> I WANT THE LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY TO BE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR BEING A WELL-RUN AGENCY THAT IS INNOVATIVE, THAT IS DOING THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VOUCHER HOLDERS.

HERE LOCALLY, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE VERY BORING.

I WOULD LIKE FOR NO ONE TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHO IS THEIR VOUCHER ADMINISTRATOR, WHO IS THEIR LANDLORD.

HONESTLY I THINK THAT'S WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE.

THAT WE ARE JUST A PART OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.

WE ARE PART OF THE SAFETY NET.

WE ARE A PART OF A STEPPING STONE TO STABILITY FOR FAMILIES HERE AND WE ARE JUST DOING A GREAT JOB AND NO ONE REALLY THINKS ABOUT US.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE SUCH A LIGHTNING ROD BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS WE HAVE TO CORRECT.

SO SUCCESS FOR ME LOOKS LIKE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT HOUSING, PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW WE ARE DOING THINGS, WE ARE SEEN AS ROCKSTARS FOR THEM BUT THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT US.

BECAUSE WE ARE JUST DOING THE RIGHT THING AND HANDLING OUR BUSINESS.

>> I'M CURIOUS, YOUR EXPERIENCE COMING HOME-- BEING-- GROWING UP HERE IN LOUISVILLE AND COMING HERE FROM WORKING IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN NEW YORK CITY, WHICH IMAM IMAGINE IS QUITE A STRETCH FROM HERE OR IS IT?

>> IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

THE SITUATION WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, THE OBSTACLES FACING PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE VERY SIMILAR EVERYWHERE SO THAT WAS NOT SHOCKING TO ME.

WHAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE HERE IN LOUISVILLE IS THE SPEED AT WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO EXECUTE.

IT TOOK A LOOED LOT LONGER TO DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN NEW YORK CITY THAN IT DOES IN LOUISVILLE.

THE STRIDES THAT WE HAVE MADE IN THE LAST YEAR AT LMHA WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOT LONGER THERE.

THERE ARE MANY MORE LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY, MANY MORE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE.

SO WHILE IN NEW YORK CITY THERE ARE A LOT MORE LOCAL RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ENORMOUS TAX BASE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.

HERE, LOUISVILLE, I FEEL, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY PRAGMATIC PLACE.

AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I FEEL LIKE I WAS SUCCESSFUL IN NEW YORK CITY WAS BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND AS A LOUISVILLIAN.

I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE HERE, WE SAY OKAY, WE ARE HERE.

WE WANT TO GET HERE.

LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT DONE.

DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH OR WHO YOU ARE OR WHERE YOU COME FROM.

JUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT DONE.

I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED HERE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO JUST ALL COME TO THE TABLE AND FIGURE IT OUT VERY QUICKLY.

SO THAT'S BEEN VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISING.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK WE ARE IN A BETTER PLACE NOW THAN WE WERE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO IS BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT THE LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS RECEIVED FROM LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, FROM CONGRESSMAN MCGARVEY, HUD AND THE COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE WANT US TO SUCCEED.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T FIND EVERYWHERE.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WANT TO KIND OF , YOU KNOW, HIT YOU WHEN YOU ARE DOWN AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST WANT TO SAY OH THIS IS A FAILURE.

LET ME LOOK FOR BAD STORIES ABOUT IT.

LET'S KEEP PILING ON.

AND THAT'S REALLY NOT THE ENERGY THAT I HAVE FELT HERE.

EVERYBODY WANTS US TO SUCCEED AND EVERYBODY HAS BEEN REALLY WILLING TO HELP US, FROM THE STATE AS WELL.

WE ARE-- WE FIND THAT WE HAVE VERY GREAT PARTNERSHIPS IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND AT THE STATE HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY SO IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ YOU CAN WATCH AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME ONLINE AT ket.org/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

AND YOU CAN SEE MORE OF OUR VISIT TO DOSKER MANOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE THIS WEEK.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR INSIDE LOUISVILLE... UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!