Morgan City Ruffin Homes makeover almost complete

Seven years ago, officials were considering tearing down Joe Ruffin Homes. Now, the Morgan City Housing Authority has nearly completed major repairs on all 29 of its units at Railroad Avenue.
Officials plan to go to bid on renovations of the final four units later this month and finish construction before the end of the year, said Clarence Robinson, the authority’s acting director. Housing authority officials began repairs to the front units in 2016 and expect renovations to be complete on all the Joe Ruffin Homes units by the end of 2019.
Hebert Construction & Rental is currently finishing work on 10 units at the residential development.
In 2012, housing authority leaders had discussions about potentially demolishing the units at Joe Ruffin Homes due to issues with the sewer system.
However, after Robinson became director in 2013, he decided the best option was to fix the sewer problems and renovate the units. Officials eventually solved all of the plumbing problems. City of Morgan City workers did a lot of work during that process.
Robinson, who is also director of the Berwick Housing Authority, has made providing “decent, safe and sanitary housing” a priority.
Other work at Joe Ruffin Homes included painting, replacing windows and floors, and renovating bathrooms and kitchens to improve units that had been in disrepair for years.
The residential units were in extremely bad condition with all of the walls covered in mold, said Patrick Hebert, owner of Hebert Construction & Rental. He’s also a St. Mary Parish councilman. With the repairs made to the units, their condition is “like night and day” compared to the previous status, Hebert said.
Repairs and renovations have been a collaborative effort by many different entities. H&B Young Foundation donated funds to paint the exterior of the buildings. Firmin Architects did the architect work.
“It just takes everybody to do something like this,” Robinson said.
The housing authority has a wait list for people who want to live in the units.
In addition to Joe Ruffin Homes, the housing authority is also renovating its other properties. The authority manages Brownell Homes, Jacquet Homes and Shannon Homes.
Housing authority officials may move some tenants to Joe Ruffin Homes from the authority’s three other properties to modernize units at those locations, too, Robinson said.