Tanglewood Garden Apartments, a subsidized-housing complex in Waco, has seen its federal inspection score improve from an F to an A.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs in May gave a score of 96 out of 100 to the 90-unit complex at 4500 N. 19th St.

A year ago, the inspection score was 29, among the lowest in the state.

“This basically vindicates us,” said Chris DeCluitt of Sovereign Management, which operates the complex and had appealed the 2009 score as faulty.

Tanglewood had received a score of 96 in the previous inspection in 2006 and a 93 in 2003, said Mike Backman, a regional multifamily hub director for HUD.

He acknowledged that the 29 score last year was “out of character” for the complex, though he didn’t know details of the inspections.

Earlier low marks

In a February interview, DeCluitt blamed the poor 2009 inspection on an overly zealous contractor who did the inspection for HUD. The most recent inspection was done by a HUD employee.

DeCluitt this week said between the inspections, Sovereign made about $15,000 in improvements to the site, the biggest of which was building a retaining wall to stop erosion around a foundation.

DeCluitt said he is hoping to get the 2009 report “expunged” from Tanglewood’s record.

Backman said he’s not sure whether that’s possible, but now that Tanglewood is again in good standing with HUD, the old score has no practical effect.

DeCluitt said the bad inspection score hasn’t hurt his ability to keep the apartments full.

HUD requires regular inspections of properties that receive federal subsidies, such as the Section 8 program.

Another subsidized apartment complex that got a score of 29 in 2009 was Robinson Garden Apartments, 2724 Robinson Drive.

Backman said Robinson Garden will be reinspected soon. He said the complex seems to be making progress in repairing and reopening uninhabited units.

“When we know that an owner is making repairs on the property, we usually give them time to complete them,” he said.

Robinson Garden manager Anne Monden said $300,000 of exterior repairs have been completed in the past month, including painting, new doors, screening and parking lot work. An additional $30,000 has been spent inside the units, she said.

More occupants

Occupancy in the past nine months has improved from 60 percent to 87 percent, she said.

“We’re focusing on the potential that we have, and we’re going forward with what needs to be done,” she said.

Monden said the property this spring received a “satisfactory” grade from HUD.

Backman said she probably is referring to an administrative review of the complex, not a property inspection.

Robinson Garden is owned by American Housing Foundation, the bankrupt Amarillo company that also owns Parkside Village in North Waco.

The HUD last month said it was canceling Parkside Village’s federal housing subsidy because of poor inspection scores and preparing to give vouchers to residents to move elsewhere.

Monden said Robinson Garden is in a completely different situation than Parkside, and American Housing Foundation is providing sufficient money to repair and renovate the complex.

jbsmith@wacotrib.com

757-5752

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