By: Sarah Snyder
NewsWest 9
City leaders are tackling the housing crunch in Pecos.
New apartments, neighborhoods, and rennovations are underway.
"It's very difficult to get a house at this time, so we're excited to promote and to do this project to benefit our community," Edgardo Madrid with Pecos Public Works, said.
Pecos city leaders are digging in, hoping to add new homes to the overflowing West Texas community.
"Oil and gas activity are bringing this money and all these needs into our communities," Madrid said.
New homes are popping up across Pecos. The first project, they're building a new neighborhood with nineteen low to middle-income homes.
"It's very difficult to meet the needs with 19 homes," Madrid said. "So you need to expand with apartment complexes, with hotels, to accomodate as much as you can."
They're also taking 100 tax-forclosed properties all over the city and building new homes.
And the latest project was just approved last week by the city council, a new grant program that helps elderly, disabled, and low-income neighbors who's homes have fallen into serious disrepair.
"It's a $300,000 grant and we went through a process, formed a committee, 10-15 persons from the community, and we advertised to get as many applicants as possible," Madrid said.
The city plans to demolish 6 homes and completely rebuild a new one in its place, but the people who live here say, they're not happy about that.
"I know it's a slow process, but if they're going to do something with it, do something with it," Ruben Zaragoza, who's family is receiving one of the six homes, said. "If they're not, not just play with it."
The Zaragoza's tell us the city asked their family to move out of their home 8 months ago, but never began demolition or construction.
"I've seen them breaking down houses and not rebuilding any," Zaragoza said.
And that forced his parents to pay rent for an apartment until they receive a new home.
"They shouldn't be paying rent and bills when they can be living in their own home," Zaragoza said.
But the city says it's on the way. The new homes will be valued at $65,000 and they estimate construction will begin by the end of this month.
