- Tallahassee Urban League's Housing Rehabilitation Program is helping neighbors in Northwest Tallahassee and beyond.
- Since 1979, this program has rehabilitated over 1,000 houses.
- Watch the video above to see the latest finished house and hear from the neighbors who will benefit from the work.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's a new development in the Tallahassee Urban League’s housing rehabilitation program. I’m Maya Sargent, your neighborhood reporter in Northwest Tallahassee. I'm finding out what this new home means to neighbors in the community.
It's a new home for Ms. Evenlyn Jiles. She's a longtime resident of the Griffin Heights community.
"We grew up here and this community has been real good to us."
Her son, Frederick tells me he and his family are so grateful.
Her new life of comfort has been made possible by the Tallahassee Urban League's Housing Rehabilitation Program.
The City of Tallahassee supports the program.
"Seeing this being done for my mother, I tell you, just beyond words."
Curtis Taylor with the Tallahassee Urban League tells me Ms. Jiles previous house was starting to fall apart, so the house was demolished and completely rebuilt.
Now, "she's got 2 bathrooms. She's got a modern kitchen, new plumbing, (and) new wiring."
Taylor said just one of the goals of the Urban League is to help vulnerable seniors.
"A lot of them are living in deplorable conditions. Some of them, because they're on a fixed income, they can't afford to put on a new roof."
Rehabilitating houses in this neighborhood contributes to the revitalization of the Griffin Heights neighborhood at large, said Marcus Nicolas with Leon County Schools.
He mentioned the Leon County Schools $44 million investment into Griffin Middle School is part of that effort.
WATCH OUR STORY ABOUT THAT SCHOOL INVESTMENT BELOW:
Frederick says this house is providing relief and comfort to his mother in her latter years.
"There was a point in time when I could see a lot of worry, used to be on my mother's face, but I thank god now I don't see those worry lines anymore."
Since 1979, this Tallahassee Urban League program has rehabilitated over 1,000 houses.
HOW CO CONTACT THE URBAN LEAGUE:
Address: 923 Old Bainbridge Rd, Tallahassee, Florida 32303
Call: 850-222-6111
Contact Person: Lamarr Kemp
Email: lamarrkemptul@gmail.com
