ARRA Grant Funds at Work in Passaic Housing Authority

New Jersey

$1.5 Million Federal Stimulus Grant Helps Passaic Housing Authority Renovate Housing Complex Facilities for Hundreds of Public Housing Residents

Trani Williams, Congressman Bill Pascrell, Diane Johnson and Passaic Mayor Alex Blanco lead other dignitaries in ribbon cutting ceremony.

On July 31, 2010 Newark Field Office Director Diane Johnson joined Congressman William Pascrell Jr., Passaic Mayor Dr. Alex Blanco, Passaic Housing Authority Executive Director Cyril Victor, Resident's Council President Rene Griggs, and over 100 residents of Alfred Speer Village Housing Complex in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the revamped basketball court dedicated in the name of Percival Williams Jr. a young man who had a stellar athletic career, but lost his life, at the age of 19, due to unnecessary violence. The basketball court and recreational facilities were refurbished as part of a federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus grant. The grant awarded $1.5 million to the Passaic Housing Authority which consist of six housing complexes to help pay for the necessary improvements including new fencing, repaving parking lots, repairing storm drains, and eliminating sink holes, renovation of building entrance ways and replacement of apartment windows. The two phase Speer Village renovation project is in its second phase and will benefit all of its tenants who make up nearly half of the 800 Passaic Housing Authority residents. Congressman Pascrell said the facilities will be a haven for the Speer Village youth. The Housing Authority used the opportunity to highlight the theme "Sports over Violence".

Residents of Speer Village view the renewed recreational facility.

Speer Village youth played an exhibition basketball game at dedication ceremony

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