By VICKIE JAMBON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – HUD recently gave the St. John the Baptist Parish Housing Authority over $570,000 in capital funding to upgrade housing units, said Interim Director Claudette Raphael.

Raphael said the agency did not get a previously requested $4.5 million, but that it did get $571,450 to reduce the number of vacancies.

“Assessments for repairs will be made by our new director – when one is appointed,” said Raphael. “Our five-member committee is reviewing and ranking applications presented for the Director of Housing position. Seven applications have been submitted so far.”

Raphael was appointed interim director on Aug. 30 – the same date Director Alice Crenshaw was fired.

Raphael said her agency recently fired deputies hired from Parish Sheriff’s Office when the department could no longer afford to pay the deputies for security service rendered.

“We’ll be all right once we get another director. It will take a little while to build things back up but I think everything will be all right,” maintained Raphael.