DATE: Tuesday, July 22, 1997                TAG: 9707220208

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   37 lines

HOUSING COMMISSIONERS WILL TAKE TOUR OF PROBLEMS AT SUFFOLK DEVELOPMENTS

The officials who oversee housing in this 430-square-mile city will load up today in a van and drive to each of Suffolk's public housing developments.

Some of the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority commissioners haven't toured the facilities in years. Others have taken in the sights as recently as last week.

All of them, though, have one thing in common.

``I think we've all been getting calls from residents who say their problems are not being fixed,'' said Commissioner Mary Richardson. ``I went to Hoffler (Apartments) on Monday, and I was surprised at what I saw. There were no blinds on windows, and the trash was unbelievable.''

For months, residents from Suffolk's 466 public housing units have been attending the agency's meetings and complaining about the maintenance of their homes. Two months ago, one of the tenants showed a video of her housing site. It included overgrown grass, overflowing trash and bare windows.

Richardson said the problems are still there.

Executive Director Clarissa E. McAdoo said she, too, has toured the housing sites and agrees that there are problems. She is working with maintenance on an action plan to solve them, she said. The agency is also without a maintenance supervisor. The last one resigned two weeks ago.

``When you look at other housing authorities, their maintenance resources are much deeper,'' McAdoo said. ``We have nine people on staff and 466 units. We are also in need of additional resources.''

Richardson said that, after the tour, the board will discuss how it can help improve public housing. MEMO: The tour will start at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The commission will leave

from the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority offices, 530 E.

Pinner St.

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