Suring officials are turning to a Madison-based company to improve an apartment complex in the village.
The low-income tenants who live at Pioneer Villa apartments, 415 N. Mill St., have complained of a leaky roof, cockroach infestation and overall building deterioration.
The building is owned by the Suring Non-Profit Housing Corporation and managed by Housing Management Services, of Oconto. Managers of the property say they have not been able to secure government funding to fix the problems.
The Suring Non-Profit Housing Corporation Board on Sept. 18 met with representatives of Madison-based Astar Capital Management Inc., who expressed interest in purchasing Pioneer Villa but said they needed more time to gather information. Another meeting is scheduled in October.
The Suring Village Board on Sept. 10 directed the housing board to have an action plan by Jan. 1, 2014, to address the issues at Pioneer Villa, or the village will start condemnation proceedings.
Gerald Gehling, a member of the Suring Non-Profit Housing Board, said condemning the Pioneer Villa property will not solve the problems. He also said trustees do not have the authority to condemn the apartments because they are operated through federal programs.
“We’ll just keep pecking away at it until the problem is solved,” Gehling said.
Village President Jay Tousey said he is encouraged by the progress the housing board is making.
The housing board approached Astar Capital Management after two local options fell through.
In a letter to the Village Board presented Sept. 10, Earl Charlton and Marian Kroscher, co-owners of Woodland Village Nursing Center in Suring, withdrew their interest in purchasing and managing the apartments.
Earlier this summer, NEWCAP expressed interest in owning, managing and repairing the complex but backed off, citing cuts in funding. NEWCAP is a private, nonprofit agency that assists low-income residents.
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