WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – The Wilmington Housing Authority Board plans to roll out a new landscaping initiative within their communities, which leaders say will not only hire local residents, but also shape the yards and the morale of WHA tenants.
“There’s a resident engagement aspect that I like,” Tyrone Garrett, the executive director of the WHA said to board members during a Thursday afternoon meeting. “It gives us an opportunity to hire our own residents and put them to work, and that will give them pride in what they’re doing and pride in their community.”
Additionally, Garrett thinks the program may help prevent crime within the city’s public housing communities, which has decreased by 19% since last May.
“Landscaping and planting flowers change attitudes.” said Hollis Briggs Jr., a WHA board member. “If you’ve got people out there planting, and they can see what’s going on, they might see some stuff the police need to know about. All of that works great.”
The WHA has already paid for the equipment that will be used by the landscaping staff and is currently conducting background checks on prospective employees.
On days with bad weather, employees may work with the authority’s maintenance team to assist the approximately 400 people displaced by mold contamination.
The WHA is holding public meetings throughout the rest of the week to get feedback on the proposed program at the following venues and times:
July 13th:
10:30 am – 11:30 am Glover
2:00pm – 3:00pm Hillcrest
July 14th:
11:00 am – Noon Houston Moore
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