The V.I. Housing Finance Authority addressed residents’ concerns about potential buyout proposals for LBJ Gardens residents in a statement to the Source Friday.
“Any discussion of a voluntary buyout is not related to the Richmond power plant or any of its associated concerns,” according to the statement. “VIHFA’s considerations for a potential buyout are based on broader mitigation and community development strategies, following the response to the demolition of the adjacent property owned by VIHFA, and in alignment with our mission to enhance housing stability and resilience in the Virgin Islands.”
“We remain committed to open dialogue with the community to ensure residents have accurate information and are fully informed about any available opportunities. For more information, please email media@vihfa.gov,” VIHFA concluded.
The statement came after several residents expressed concern during a town-hall meeting Thursday night about plans to rehabilitate the LBJ sewershed that the proposed buyouts are related to the “blast zone” of the V.I. Water and Power Authority’s Richmond Power Plant.
In February, lawmakers on the Senate Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning Committee grilled VIHFA leadership after initial demolition efforts at LBJ in February left residents with damaged roofs and potentially contaminated cisterns. VIHFA executive Dayna Clendinen said during the hearing that the authority was reviewing residents’ concerns and that “a contractor got ahead of us.”
Sen. Novelle Francis Jr. asked for more information.
“Are you saying that they actually started the project without authorization or permission?” he asked.
Clendinen said VIHFA did give them notice to proceed, but that before starting any demolition the contractor was supposed to “put up the fencing, put up the signage — all that was supposed to happen — as well as issue back to us the schedule.”
The V.I. Housing Finance Authority issued a response to residents’ concerns Friday.
