Reopening Plan Coming Soon

It's Soon Time to Open Our Doors Again!

ROXBORO--As COVID-19 cases fall, vaccines become readily available and more people get shots, it is time for Roxboro Housing Authority (RHA) to reopen its doors to the public. 

Executive Director Felts Lewis unveiled a preliminary reopening plan at the May 5, 2021, RHA Board of Commissioners meeting.

"I feel confident the agency is ready the swing its doors open, welcoming residents and the general public into common spaces with certain limitations," Lewis said. 

The "Wait and See", conservative strategy proved successful--no one on the RHA staff has contracted the virus to date.  There have been only a few cases of COVID-19 reported to Housing Management impacting residents. With 90 percent of the employees vaccinated and a fair amount of residents receiving vaccinations, the likelihood of getting COVID-19 at RHA is low. 

"Residents deserve a tremendous amount of credit to get us to this point today," Lewis said.  "They followed our message of wearing a mask throughout the pandemic, especially during mandatory recertification meetings held at community center sites."

Lewis said current CDC recommendations are included in the  reopening plan.  Social distancing and indoor mask requirements are emphasized.  RHA plans to continue promoting vaccines due to  their effectiveness.

All facilities closed the last week in March 2020, causing the agency meetings and classes to be disrupted and, in some cases, cancelled. The afterschool program went virtual during Summer 2020 but RHA cancelled its annual arts camps with Person Co. Arts Council.  In-person resident meetings  converted to weekly then monthly teleconference meetings. 

In early March 2021, the Authority accepted residents into its community centers for required housing recertification.  In-person resident council meetings started March18, 2021, in the Lee Gardens Courtyard; the second meeting was April 17, 2021, in the Weatherly Heights courtyard.  A third meeting took place in the Harris Gardens courtyard on May 13, 2021.

Debt Management Thursdays series started in May to assist residents in person with person finance woes due to the pandemic or other situations. Project Hope application assistance started May 20, 2021. 

In-person activities were many prior to virus numbers spiked and variants spread.  During the Summer of 2020, RHA distributed over 15,000 emergency meals to residents. Community gardens were bountiful, growing a variety of salads. 

The first in-person resident activity in months included the community gardens planting on Fri., Apr 30, 2021.

Learn more about the reopening plan live during the RHA Board meeting Wed., June 2, 2021, starting at 12 Noon.

Here's how to get connected via Zoom:

Call (646) 876-9923

Meeting ID:  989 1303 9170