Rally at Reschenthaler’s office pushes for expedited HUD approval of Thomas Campbell upgrades
Holding up colorful signs while chanting “We want affordable housing,” dozens of people rallied Tuesday outside of U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s district office in Washington asking him to help expedite federal approval to renovate and upgrade the Thomas Campbell Apartments.
The residents gathered over concerns about how a major renovation project for the apartment complex in South Strabane is currently stalled as it awaits final approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, putting the work in a holding pattern for the past year and leaving numerous potential tenants without a permanent home.
Thomas Campbell officials said they have already secured private funding for the project to make safety improvements following a fatal fire in December 2021, and they also plan to convert 20 efficiency units into 10 one-bedroom apartments that are more desirable for prospective tenants. But until they receive final approval from HUD, they can’t move forward with the project.
Arthur Keys Jr., who is board president for the Thomas Campbell Apartments, said they organized the rally to make the public aware of the delays and to spur Reschenthaler into pushing HUD officials to approve the project for the two-building complex at 850 Beech St.
“It should be (approved), but after a year it hasn’t been done,” Keys said. “We want the buildings to be safe for our residents. Our funding is being held up.”
The inability to move forward with the renovations and make major safety upgrades has left numerous units unavailable for rent, which is costing the apartment complex about $30,000 a month in lost revenue that it would be getting from rent payments, Keys said. He said the safety upgrades in both buildings include installing sprinkler and alarm systems – among many other improvements – after a fire on Dec. 23, 2021, killed 78-year-old resident Frances Venen.
Since the fire nearly 18 months ago, some residents haven’t been able to return to their apartments, including Paula Key, who lived briefly in a hotel before moving into a friend’s house. While she has been offered a different unit in the complex, Key said she wants to move back into the unit that is “home” to her.
“It’s horrible. It really is,” Key said of the delay while also feeling like she’s imposing on her friend. “It’s just time. It’s time for me to be back in my home.”
The situation is also delaying the opportunity for at least six residents at Washington City Mission who are on a waiting list to leave the shelter and move into their own apartment at Thomas Campbell. City Mission resident James Eley, who is on that waiting list, said he’s ready to move into the apartment complex after struggling to find affordable housing.
Reschenthaler, R-Peters, is in session in Washington, D.C., so he wasn’t at his district office during the rally, but Eley said the group had a message for their congressman that many seniors and people with disabilities rely on lower-rent apartments to survive.
“We need to bring more affordable housing to the county,” Eley said. “I’m really discouraged he’s not here. He’s not here to stand and listen to us.”
Although Reschenthaler wasn’t available to meet with the Thomas Campbell and City Mission residents who rallied outside his office, field staffer Jarrett Niecgorski invited in Keys, property manager Pat Gould, South Strabane fire Chief Jordan Cramer and township Supervisor Bracken Burns to speak with them briefly. The meeting lasted about five minutes, and Keys said he thought their concerns were heard.
“I think they listened, but we want action,” Keys said.
Niecgorski declined comment on the issue and ordered two reporters who were with the four people from the rally’s delegation to leave the district office before the meeting began. Niecgorski directed media questions to Reschenthaler’s press office in Washington, D.C., which responded Tuesday afternoon with a written statement from the congressman.
“My office is proud to have closed over 1,100 cases so far this year and 2,222 in 2022 on behalf of my constituents. I have assembled a dedicated team in Washington and Latrobe who works around the clock providing positive outcomes for southwestern Pennsylvanians,” Reschenthaler said. “As is standard with all cases, the speed at which these are closed is ultimately decided by the Biden Administration. I look forward to continuing to serve my constituents throughout Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District.”
A HUD spokesperson in Washington, D.C., could not be reached for comment Tuesday to discuss the matter.
After rallying on the sidewalk outside Reschenthaler’s office for about 45 minutes, the apartment tenants loaded back onto a charter bus and rode home, while the other supporters walked back to their residence at the City Mission.