Rhinelander Housing Authority receives $50,000 WHEDA grant, updates pet policy for tenants

After a trio of previous tries, the Rhinelander Housing Authority has at last been awarded a $50,000 Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority grant, the RHA board of commissioners heard at their regular bimonthly meeting March 17 at Evergreen Manor.

RHA executive director Janell Schroeder said the funding would help make possible the installation of nine new furnace units and air conditioner HVAC systems in the Historic West Elementary retirement community apartments, anticipated to begin in April.

“When they built Historic West, they put a separate furnace unit in every apartment, and so that is just a huge expense,” Schroeder told the River News. “Over the years we’ve tried to replace one unit per year – but in the older section of that building, they’re 20-plus years old and they’re all falling apart, so we’re hoping to be able to replace those that are the oldest. We’re excited about that, and the tenants are excited.”

In board action, an updated pet policy for Historic West Elementary was agreed upon. The pet security deposit of $300 is unchanged, but the updated policy introduces a new monthly pet fee of $20, approved at the board’s December meeting but not implemented until now, and stipulates that the tenant is responsible for any damages by not only their own pet, but also by any pet in their care owned by someone else.

Also on the agenda was the matter of a $20,000 purchase offer received last year for vacant land next to Historic West Elementary. The board decided in December to have Schroeder get the land appraised. This month she reported back that the appraiser she connected with wasn’t able to find comparable properties so was having to appraise the land as residential property. 

“I said, ‘well, that’s better than nothing, at least,’” said Schroeder, “but unfortunately, she was to have that to me before the meeting today, and I did not get it … She may have been like me and couldn’t get out of her house yesterday because of all the snow, but hopefully I’ll hear something soon and then I can forward that to you.”

The board also heard an update on the Section 8 program in Rhinelander. “As has been for the last few years, they keep cutting our funding for the program but telling us that we need to serve more people,” reported Schroeder. “ ... We’re going to be drawing names off of our waiting list here shortly, and we’re going to try to do another Section 8 orientation and try to get a few more people on our program.” 

She said 67 families were served in January and February in the Section 8 program, and that there are currently about 80 people on the waiting list. 

Among other meeting highlights, the board heard that an Evergreen Manor bank account was moved from Ripco Credit Union to Associated Bank. “That’s just because all of the Evergreen accounts are at Associated, (and) all of the Historic West are at Ripco,” explained Schroeder. “I don’t know why that one was put in the wrong bank, but it was that way before I started … when I had to transfer funds from that, I had to go to Ripco, pay for a cashier’s check, and then drive it to Associated to deposit it. And this way (with all Evergreen Manor accounts now in Associated Bank) I can just go online and make a transfer at no cost if we ever need to transfer funds.” 

The next regular bimonthly meeting of the Rhinelander Housing Authority board of commissioners will be Tuesday, May 19, at 9:30 a.m. in the boardroom of Evergreen Manor.

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].