Two years ago this month, the Augusta Commission refused to support the Augusta Housing Authority's plan to build a mixed-income community off Deans Bridge Road.

Homeowners near the proposed site were livid about the prospect of public housing so close to their new neighborhoods, and they turned commissioners and state legislators against the plan, effectively killing it.

On Tuesday, housing authority Executive Director Jake Oglesby will be back in front of commissioners, asking them to endorse what would be the city's first mixed-income development, built over what's now Underwood Homes in east Augusta.

Objections by Commissioner J.R. Hatney and the absence of Commissioner Betty Beard -- both of whom have east Augusta in their districts -- kept the resolution of support from being approved at the April 13 Administrative Services committee meeting. On Thursday, Mr. Hatney wanted the housing authority to explain to the East Augusta Neighborhood Association that the Underwood site is being redeveloped at once rather than in increments. After that, he said he would vote for the resolution.

"We don't anticipate any problems with it Tuesday," Mr. Oglesby said.

There are major differences between this project and the one rejected in 2007. For one, the Deans Bridge Road site was vacant. The 27-acre Underwood property has 249 public housing units and will have only about 60 after the redevelopment.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development began backing mixed-income communities in the 1990s to break up compartmentalized poverty and integrate the poor, and Georgia cities such as Albany, Columbus, Macon and Savannah got on board years ago. In the new Augusta development, about 20 percent of the 300 units will be public housing, authority Planning and Development Director Richard Arfman said.

Whereas south Augustans wanted no part of the Deans Bridge plan, in east Augusta the transformation of Underwood Homes is considered the linchpin of the downtown master plan's Sand Bar Ferry Riverside, a "new urbanist" village with shops, single-family townhomes and garden apartments near the Savannah River.

Ms. Beard said at the meeting Thursday that she's disappointed the Deans Bridge plan failed.

"I'm going to say, it's been awfully difficult to get these things going in Augusta," she said after Mr. Oglesby's presentation. "I know it will be good for the community."

There are 180 families still in Underwood, a deteriorating 38-year-old complex originally built as private apartments, then sold to the housing authority. Based on meetings with heads of households, about half want to relocate to other public housing and half want Section 8 vouchers to live in private rental homes or apartments, Mr. Arfman said. All will be reimbursed for moving costs.

They couldn't be happier about leaving, said Underwood Homes Resident Association President Janiqua White, a single mother of five who has lived there for three years. Drugs and crime are rampant, she said. There's no central heat or air. Roofing is caving in, and old wiring is a fire hazard.

"Because of the living conditions, most people are ecstatic about it," said Ms. White, who's opting for a voucher and looking for an apartment off Washington or Wrightsboro roads. "Everyone that has come to me asking about it, they're asking, 'When are we going to move?' "

Families relocated from Underwood would be given priority if they want to return.

At the March housing authority meeting, board member David Steele asked about breaching the levee so new residents could have easy access to the river. Mr. Arfman said that's unlikely because it would take an act of Congress.

Between the river and the levee behind Underwood there are 27 acres of undeveloped, city-owned land, which the master plan by ICON Architecture has set aside for a camping and RV park, an idea proposed by Commissioner Joe Jackson.

The resolution the authority is seeking from commissioners won't make or break the deal, but it will add points to the tax credit application due May 21 to the state Department of Community Affairs, bolstering Augusta's chances in a competitive process. In the case of the Deans Bridge project, the housing authority aborted when it didn't get the resolution.

"We want to make sure we get community support before we do something like this, from a political point of view," Mr. Arfman said. "I think we have the community's support. The only thing that could mess us up would be if we don't get the approval from DCA."

Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.