Sidney Housing Authority installs improvement to Sioux Villa

Concrete poured this week on a north side project, long in the making, that will make a big difference for those driving in the Sioux Villa area.

Construction crews spent the week preparing for and pouring three blocks of new concrete street on 18th Ave. from Cedar St. to Ash St., the housing project's main north-south thoroughfare .

For a number of years the Sidney Housing Authority has been working to improve conditions at its properties, which include the Sioux Villa complex and Western Heritage apartments across town.

Many of the improvements have come as the result of resident surveys, asking what they think is most important.

"Better streets was determined to the top need," said Housing Authority Executive Director Nancy Bentley said.

To meet improvement needs, the Housing Authority has been setting aside funds. The street project is one, paid for entirely by the Housing Authority.

"We didn't use any assistance from the city," Bentley said with pride. "Although we did it with their blessing."

The $89,000 project was one of many the housing authority has undertaken in the Sioux Villa housing, which was built in 1940 to house workers at the Sioux Army Depot. Although the housing hasn't been used in that capacity for more than 40 years, it still serves a need.

Sioux Villa has been used to provide homes for low income families for many years, and part of the Housing Authority's goal has been to make that housing a little nicer for those living there. In recent years furnaces have been replaced, as well as plumbing, roofs and other facilities in need of fixing. The Authority also changed the apartment set-up as well, combining the one and two bedroom apartments into three and four bedrooms to meet the needs of larger families.

The Housing Authority is overseen by a volunteer board, its members overseeing and guiding, while Bentley takes care of the day-to-day operation. Housing Authority members include co-chairs Tamara Nelson and Scott McDaniels, Delores Virgil, and City Councilman Roger Gallaway. Bentley said their is currently an opening on the board.