Residents of the Northside’s Fairway Oaks neighborhood protested outside of HabiJax Friday morning.
They want the nonprofit that builds low-income housing to fix their HabiJax homes or relocate them before it receives any city money to build more.
Fairway Oaks residents say their homes were built on unstable land and now their houses have cracked foundations.
“My house is actually sinking,” said Fairway Oaks resident Deanna Norris.
She was protesting in front of HabiJax, Friday. People were holding signs. One read: “God says let my people go. Do right by the people!”
Residents are upset because the city is considering awarding the Jacksonville Habitat for Humanity branch more than $840,000 to build new homes. HabiJax CEO Mary Kay O'Rourke said those dollars are needed to build in the New town Success area.
“We have families waiting, there’s need for housing as part of the neighborhood revitalization,” O'Rourke said.
She invited Fairway residents in her building to talk during the protest. After the meeting, she said attorneys on both sides are working on a solution.
MORE: Fairway Oaks Residents To Protest HabiJax Friday
“Their concerns are very important to us and we would like a resolution, O'Rourke said.
But Fairway Homeowners Association President Nathaniel Borden said he wants relocation help or repairs now.
“We’re going to continue to go to City Councils. We’re going to continue to send emails,” Borden said. “We’re going to do anything we’ve got to do until we actually get the help.”
O’Rourke says HabiJax had a civil engineer inspect the homes and only one had structural deficiencies, and repairs were offered.
