The waiting lists for public housing units in Columbiana, Calera and Montevallo have been closed.

That is the word from Jack Mundy, director of the Columbiana Housing Authority, and Jim Brown, director of the Calera and Montevallo Housing Authorities.

Mundy said, &uot;We’ve got so many people on the waiting list, we don’t think it is fair to have people apply and know that

it is going to be a year before we can help them.&uot;

He also said the Housing Authority tries not to keep the waiting list longer than a year.

According to Mundy, there are a total of 161 public housing units in Columbiana and there are about 125 people on the waiting list.

He said there is hope in that some apartments are being renovated and the length of time a list is closed will depend upon the size of the apartment.

While Mundy said a lot of elderly citizens need housing, he said there are other sources such as Shelby Woods Apartments,

Clear Springs Apartments and Ridge View Apartments that help relieve some of the pressure off the Housing Authority.

Mundy said the Columbiana list will be closed in the five to six month range. But he said, &uot;It’s a total roll of the dice.&uot;

Brown said he doesn’t expect to have an opening this year. He said there are 126 units in Calera with about 80 people on the waiting list, and he said there are 72 units in Montevallo with 50 on the waiting list.

The Childersburg Housing Authority refused to answer repeated questions concerning Vincent public housing, the only other public housing available in Shelby County