Fort Hall Housing Authority purchases 4 COVID-19 isolation units
The Housing Construction Workforce at the unit site.
By JEREMY SHAY
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Fort Hall Housing Authority funding under the Indian Housing Block Grant Program CARES Act on June 17, 2020.
An approved activity of the funding was to purchase four isolation manufactured units for individuals or families that need to be quarantined to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Fort Hall Housing Authority Director Lorraine Shay said once the grant was received they immediately started the search for available units. “We were fortunate to locate four manufactured units from several Idaho vendors that they had on their lots.”
Shay said Housing is coordinating with the Sho-Ban Tribal Office of Emergency Management (TOEM). “When the units become ready for occupancy, the team will determine who will be placed and for how long, and monitor the clients and prepare the units for the next client.” The units will be located on the Fort Hall Townsite.
Interior of the kitchen in the first unit.
The size of the units ranges from 536 square-feet to 924 square-feet and each meet HUD standard building requirements. Shay said there will be a different number of bedrooms in each unit “two will be 2-bedroom units, one 1-bedroom and one 3-bedroom.” She said Housing will be providing basic furniture for each unit.
Shay said currently the Housing Construction Workforce is preparing the site by pouring concrete slabs, and setting the units. “We have a staff licensed electrician and plumber connecting the electrical service, water and sewer to the existing services. Last week our Construction Manager Clint Williams passed the Idaho State MFG installer examination in order to be compliant with Idaho state manufacture setting requirements, and will receive his state license issued under the Idaho Division of Building Safety.”
“The first unit was delivered on September 8 and we are currently hooking it up and preparing it. The other three will be delivered as soon as the sites are ready and we are anticipating they will be delivered the first full week in October.” She included that Housing will be paying for the utilities and the grant funds must be expended by December 31, 2020. “We are on track in spending the funds by that time,” said Shay.
Wood work for the porches that will be built in front of the housing unit.
“We are hoping COVID-19 is eliminated by the end of the year and at that time the units will be turned into regular units and managed in accordance with our required Housing policy and HUD regulations," said Shay.
