WILDER — The newest apartments in the Tristate's fastest-growing city are not part of a public housing project, despite residents' fears, phone calls to the city administrator and a flier campaign.

        Residents near the 204-unit Aspen Pines complex being built on a hill on Ky. 9 have voiced concerns to the city that the development would be low-income housing, but the property owner says the development is for high-end units.

        Since construction began last year, inquiries have focused on whether Aspen Pines would be subsidized housing, Wilder city administrator Terry Vance said.

        The questions apparently stem from confusion about the Newport Housing Authority's plan to relocate public housing residents throughout that city.

        Some people think Aspen Pines, next to upscale single-family homes, is an initial phase of the Newport Housing Authority's Hope VI project.

        But it's not — it's not even in Newport.

        “I'm not against public housing, but people feared that might be the case,” Mr. Vance said of the property, which has an impressive view of the Cincinnati skyline.

        He said because residents' calls were not formal complaints, the estimated 25 people were not identified. He said that he received the most calls after one neighbor apparently put fliers on residents' cars.

        Joe Fullenkamp, a partner in Aspen Corp., also said that the property is not related to Hope VI, which will redistribute residents from current Fourth Street public housing to new and renovated sites around Newport.

        “We've gone over this for the past two years,” Mr. Fullenkamp said. “It is a quality complex. I don't know how many times I have to answer this question. We've answered it at every city meeting.”

        Mr. Fullenkamp speculated that because Aspen Pines has a similar number of units to Newport's 202-unit Fourth Street housing project, people mistakenly believe that Aspen Pines is low-income.

        He said Aspen Pines features one-, two- and three-bedroom units with nine-foot ceilings, ceiling fans, central air, upgraded appliances, private balconies and entrances for every unit. The complex will have a pool, business center, exercise room and views of downtown Cincinnati.

        Individual unit cost has not been determined, but Mr. Fullenkamp estimated that a one-bedroom unit could rent for $700 monthly, a two-bedroom for more than $800 and a three-bedroom unit could be $1,000.

        “There's never been, to my knowledge, any discussion with them or about that project,” Mark Brown, executive director for the Newport Housing Authority, said of using the Hope VI grant in conjunction with Aspen Pines.

        Mr. Brown said that all the buildings constructed or rehabbed for Hope VI must be within Newport but that there are 90 Section 8 vouchers available to residents who want to leave public housing.

        Aspen Pines is scheduled to open this summer.

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