Major renovations are taking place at the Georgetown Housing Authority for the first time in decades.

When the work is complete by the end of the year, GHA’s 265 units — 180 in West Side Apartments, 50 in Maryville South and 35 in the North Street complex — will have new exteriors.

The apartments on North Street and in Maryville are also getting new flooring while the Maryville residents will also get bathroom renovations.

 Executive Director Christina Woodruff said the $1.4 million project is being paid for with two years’ worth of funding GHA receives from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds and from reserves.

The money is also being used to repaint the interiors of apartments that have not been painted within the past five years.

“It has been 25 or 30 years since this type of renovations has taken place,” Woodruff said.

And, as a safety measure, some of the funds are being used for the installation of security cameras throughout the properties.

So that the cameras will be able to record from all directions, they will be in boxes with four cameras in each box.

“We have had one box for about a year and it has proven to be very effective from the beginning,” Woodruff said.

The cameras will not only be monitored by GHA management but can also be seen at the Georgetown Police Department.

“Most of the problems we have are from outsiders,” Woodruff said. “Very seldom do the tenants cause the problems. Our crime rate is actually very low.”

Fifteen of the boxes have been ordered meaning a total of 60 cameras are being installed.

“These are being placed to give our residents an extra sense of security and to make sure our property is safe,” Woodruff said.

She said all the apartments are currently occupied and there are 800 to 900 people on a waiting list for an apartment. The wait time for an apartment is six months to two years.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com