Merrill Public Housing Project Brings City Into Compliance With Americans With Disabilities Act

Merrill city offiicals will be spending more than $13 million on new and improved public housing which will finally bring the city’s housing into compliance with federal law.

The Merrill Housing Authority expects to start work on a new building this fall, according to its executive director Paul Russell.

“The first and most exciting phase of the project will be a 38 unit, three story facility with underground parking,” Russell said.

Tenants will be moved to the new building from a structure that was built in 1971. The older units will be expanded and brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The construction will not increase the total number of public housing units.

Russell said they are in demand.

“We have wait lists for the individual housing,” he said. “We have wait lists for the handicapped accessible units. And we have wait lists for the family housing units.”

Most of the money for the project comes from investment tax credits from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.