Turnberry Ridge Residents Unsure About Public Housing

Last December, the Champaign County Housing Authority announced their plan to build a new public housing project on a vacant lot near Turnberry Ridge. The lot was one of the few in the city approved for multifamily housing, being zoned for over 200 people. On Tuesday, local residents were given a chance to weigh in on the project at a council study session, and they were less than enthusiastic.

Some, like Heather Zorn, say the neighborhood is already too crowded, cited traffic concerns.

Other residents said they were worried about their property values. And others, like attorney George Vargas, raised concerns about public safety, saying they were worried about higher crime in neighborhoods with public housing projects.

In all, residents spoke for nearly two hours on the issue.

In spite of the protests, Edward Bland, executive director of the Housing Authority, says they intend to continue working through the city's development process.

Bland says these kinds of projects are urgently needed, given that over 3,000 people in Champaign County are in need of affordable housing.