Louisville gets final approval to tear down Dosker Manor housing complex

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville just got the green light to tear down the Dosker Manor public housing complex.

The Louisville Metro Housing Authority received final approval Thursday from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the demolition of the three high-rise buildings.

City leaders called the approval a "significant milestone in LMHA's efforts to relocate residents into improved housing opportunities and redevelop the property into safe housing for the future."

Residents of Dosker Manor began to voluntarily relocate in July 2024 due to longstanding issues such as deteriorating conditions and security concerns.

In August 2023, residents said complaints of dirty hallways, mold, bedbugs and crime were being ignored.

LMHA and the city surveyed residents about their experiences in an effort to improve their living conditions. Ultimately, the agency decided it would be best to start fresh, calling for the public housing complex to be torn down and rebuilt because it would be too expensive to rehabilitate.

Last summer, LMHA began relocating more than 500 residents from Dosker Manor. The first 100 or so were being sent to LMHA-owned properties around the city. The remaining 400 plus residents will go into low-income housing around the city.

Of the 574 residents, officials said fewer than 160 still remain there. But those residents will be forced to relocate by the end of the year. LMHA said their goal is to have all residents relocated by the end of the year.

"HUD's approval is an important step in providing better housing for our residents," Elizabeth Strojan, executive director of LMHA, said in a news release. "Our focus is making sure every resident has the support they need to transition successfully into safer, higher-quality housing."

Strojan, who was hired to overhaul public housing in the city, said they have a relocation team to help those remaining residents.

"We make sure that their rent's not gonna go up because they're going to have a public housing unit or a voucher," Strojan said. "So we're doing everything, we're not changing those resources. We'll still have those resources but, at some point, we're going to have to say 'you've got 90 days, these are your options. You have 90 days to pick one, we'll help you get there.'"

Once Dosker Manor is demolished, a new affordable housing complex will be built in its place.

Previous Coverage:

'I can live again' | Louisville woman finds new life after leaving Dosker Manor public housing

Rising rental costs, lack of affordable options threaten to plunge Louisville into housing crisis

Louisville Metro Housing Authority helps relocated Dosker Manor residents furnish new homes

With some Louisville public housing in desperate need of upgrades, LMHA gets strategic with funding

Bones found at Dosker Manor amid longstanding concerns over housing conditions

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