As the new Harbor Bridge is going up, time is winding down for people who live in its path and are thinking about moving. The deadline for the Voluntary Acquisition and Relocation Program is now just a month away.
According to a release from Del Richardson & Associates, the company running the program, the Port of Corpus Christi has purchased 228 homes in the Hillcrest and Washington-Coles neighborhoods and assisted the homeowners and tenants with relocation. The same release states that 362 residents have expressed interest in participating in the program.
Those folks now have until May 7 to make that interest official.
The program is the result of a settlement of a civil rights complaint filed by Hillcrest residents over the path of the new Harbor Bridge. TxDOT partnered with the Port of Corpus Christi and the city to design this program to help people in the area with relocation costs if they choose to move.
Pastor Adam Carrington, who leads the Brooks AME Worship Center in the Hillcrest area, has been helping residents through his involvement with the Citizens Alliance for Fairness and Progress. Although he says the program may not work for everyone, he wants to get the word out about the deadline so people know what’s available to them before it’s too late.
“It’s just an opportunity to take a look at the program, all of the options that are at hand, and then you can make a well-informed decision. Don’t listen to anybody else. Go and find out for yourself. You’re the ones who own your homes or you’re a renter here in the community, so get all of the information first before you make a decision,” Carrington told KRIS 6 News.
People who are interested have to submit a written request to participate in the program. For more information, including qualifying criteria, visit the relocation program’s website by clicking here.
