The Harvard Housing Authority has been awarded a $200,000 federal grant to replace aging electrical panels in its housing units, addressing infrastructure that has been in place since the 1960s.
According to Executive Director Esmeralda Flores, the upgrades are part of a proactive effort to maintain safe and reliable housing for residents.
“We’re replacing electrical panels that have been in place since the 1960s,” Flores said. “They’ve served the community well, but it felt like the right time to address them before they became a problem.”
Flores said the existing systems had begun to show their age and were not designed to meet modern electrical demands, making them increasingly difficult to maintain.
The upgrades are expected to improve overall safety and reliability for residents.
“The biggest thing is peace of mind,” Flores said. “People shouldn’t have to think about their electrical system. It should just work.”
The project is already underway and is expected to be completed by the end of August. While some brief, planned outages may occur during construction, Flores said efforts are being made to minimize disruptions and communicate with residents throughout the process.
Flores, who is serving as project director, also serves as executive director of Harvard Townhouse Inc., a local nonprofit organization that provides low-income housing through federally supported rental assistance programs. The organization manages housing units within the community and works to maintain safe, affordable living options for residents.
“These kinds of improvements help make sure we’re doing right by residents now and in the future,” she said.
The Harvard Housing Authority provides affordable housing options for local residents.
The Harvard Housing Authority has been awarded a $200,000 federal grant to replace aging electrical panels in its housing units, addressing infrastructure that has been in place since the 1960s. COURTESY PHOTO | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
