By JESSICA SIEFF
Niles Daily Star

Residents of the Niles Housing Commission’s Hi Rise and single housing units will be seeing some long awaited upgrades done over the next few months.

Executive Director Mary Ann Bush said Friday that the commission had beat the deadline for committing funds received through a 2007 capital improvement grant.
Those funds, in the amount of over $200,000 will be used for three specific projects and Bush said bids have already been chosen, preparations are being made so work can be started as soon as possible.

Work includes new furnaces in each of the commission’s 50 single housing units, a new air make-up system, boiler replacement and hot water system.

“It’s good timing,” Bush said.

For residents, the improvements are “going to be a chance to cut their utility bills,” she said.

Each of the projects are geared toward higher efficiency and improved overall conditions.
The air-make system, Bush explained “basically recycles the air, brings it up and brings in fresh air.”

Bush also said that officials found some of the systems in place were not as efficient as compared to newer systems.

Residents would be getting something “three times better than what they’ve used,” she said.

The 2007 grant money had been at the commission’s disposal with a set date of Saturday, Sep. 12 to be committed.

Decisions on what to use the money for were based on a 2008 needs assessment.
The commission was also informed that they would be receiving an additional $225,000 from a 2009 capital improvement grant.

Bush said residents were being informed of the work that would be going on within the Hi Rise and on the housing unit properties.

The companies that have been chosen for their respective jobs, are ready to begin work, Bush said and once that work as started, the projects are scheduled to be done within 60 days, just in time for winter.