Perea said, "People were living in squalor here at this former World War II-style barracks housing. Oftentimes units didn't have heat ... rats ... I mean you name it ... it was here."
The project got tied up two years ago at the beginning of the economic downturn. But with the help of a huge loan from Wells Fargo Bank and nearly five-million dollars in federal stimulus money ... the project is back on track.
Preston Prince of the Fresno Housing Authority said, "We had to come up with a new financing plan ... we had to do a lot of redesign ... we had to look at every cost."
Those people displaced two years ago will have first opportunity to move back in when the first phase of the project is complete a year from now.