Bournefield residents: Let us buy our homes
Published: January 14, 2012
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ST. THOMAS - Bournefield residents told the Senate Committee on Housing and Labor Friday that they want to purchase their homes from the V.I. Port Authority.
The residents have been fighting to stay in their homes for years, despite repeated attempts by the Port Authority to evict the tenants and demolish the units.
Last March, Bournefield residents testified at the Senate Committee on Housing and Labor about pending evictions. At the hearing, Port Authority Chairman Robert O'Connor Jr. promised that the board would not evict any Bournefield tenants until it had other housing for them in place.
According to committee chair Sen. Celestino White Sr., a 1995 Port Authority policy states it will maintain the buildings up to federal housing standards and that no tenants will be evicted unless another housing arrangement was in place first.
Despite promises made by Port Authority officials at the hearing to keep up with repairs to the units, the residents said not much has changed since March.
"The Port Authority needs to stop playing games with the tenants in Bournefield and do what they are supposed to do, which is to make sure that all the occupied units are brought up to code," Bournefield resident Monin Hendricks said.
Forty-two households exist in Bournefield's salmon-colored, flat-roofed concrete buildings across from King Airport. Built to house World War II-era military personnel and their families, the buildings now are owned by the V.I. Port Authority.
"We have said and still say that the homes should be turned over to us for homeownership. The port has said they do not wish to continue being a residential landlord, and we agree with them because they have failed miserably at it," Bournefield resident Josephine Lindquist said.
Sen. Usie Richards asked, even if all the needed repairs are made, would it still be a wise move to buy the property?
Lindquist said it was. She was born in the house and feels safe there, she said, adding that the buildings are solid and have never been torn down by a storm.
"The Port Authority is making it seem like the buildings are falling down on their head, that is not true. We just want them to do what they have to do," she said, referring to the basic repairs and maintenance of the units.
Representatives of the V.I. Port Authority did not attend Friday's hearing.
- Contact reporter Aldeth Lewin at 714-9111 or email alewin@dailynews.vi.
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