By Ken Alltucker
The Cincinnati Enquirer

President Bush's proposed 2004 budget eliminates millions of dollars that the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority hoped would pay for its plan to demolish the English Woods public housing complex.

Even though the budget wipes out the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Hope VI program, the housing authority still has a chance to get some money set aside in the past two years.

"We're very much disappointed that the budget has HUD not keeping its commitment to neighborhoods," said Donald Troendle, executive director of the housing authority. "I think there is still hope we can get a grant. Our plans are still to discontinue English Woods."

The Hope VI grants provided $70 million to complete Cincinnati's most ambitious housing development in decades - demolishing the 2,000-plus, apartments at the Lincoln Court and Laurel Homes housing projects in the West End. The City West project will include 250 owner-occupied homes and 965 apartments for low- and middle-income families.

The housing authority still plans to seek money left from HUD's 2002 and 2003 budgets to pay for the demolition of English Woods, although it's unclear when those dollars will be available.

Despite the uncertainty, Troendle said it's too expensive to continue running the World War II-era complex because it needs costly plumbing and structural repairs. Two more-modern additions will remain - 118 units built four decades ago and the 138-unit Marquette Manor high-rise for elderly and disabled people.

The housing authority has scaled down its renting of units to new residents, and it's formulating plans to relocate tenants to other public housing complexes inside and outside the city. Some residents may use rent vouchers to lease from private landlords.

Both English Woods residents and Cincinnati City Council oppose the English Woods demolition. Residents don't want to be forced from their homes, and the city warned it would cut off all money unless the housing authority does a better job of managing the impact of too much low-income housing in surrounding neighborhoods.

E-mail kalltucker@enquirer.com