HUD Deputy Secretary Alphonso Jackson recently joined local Fort Worth officials in groundbreaking ceremonies for Sycamore Center Villages, a 280-unit mixed income community that will include permanent replacement housing for the Ripley Arnold public housing community.

The $18 million project results from a unique partnership between HUD, the Fort Worth Housing Authority, the developer, state and local agencies and financial organizations. The partnership is one of the very few in the U.S. that will have public housing apartments in a privately owned and managed community.

Under an agreement with the FWHA, HUD will provide financial assistance for 47 of the 280 units, which are being privately developed and financed by revenue bonds issued by the county, FHA insurance and a four percent tax credit.

"All the partners are to be commended for their dedication in getting this project off the ground," said Deputy Secretary Jackson (fourth from left) as he shovels dirt during groundbreaking ceremonies for the Sycamore Center Villages in Fort Worth, Texas. "The partnership is a model for others to follow," he added. The project is part of a two-year effort to replace the Ripley Arnold complex.