"We're trying to focus on the future,"; OnTrack renovations begin

Medford, Ore. — Renovations at a handful of OnTrack properties are underway tonight. The remodels are part of an action plan sent to DHS last week to address issues found by the agency during a surprise inspection. The work is estimated to take 6 to 9 weeks and cost about a quarter of a millions dollars.

“It’s gonna pretty much be a new building when we’re done with it,” HamCon Builders president, David Hammonds says.

From the walls, to the windows and everything in between, OnTrack’s crisis housing is in the thick of a total transformation.

“We’re taking all this old paneling off, all the old floor covering, taking the doors out, the kitchens are going back new cabinets, new counter tops, new floor covering, new paint,” Hammonds says.

“New roof, new appliances, new furniture, new floors, they’re gonna be top notch,” OnTrack’s board president, Jim Maize adds.

The renovations come on the heels of a DHS inspection that found widespread health and safety concerns within OnTrack facilities. OnTrack’s board president says they’re taking swift action to correct those problems, and are now looking ahead.

“We’re trying to focus on the future,” Maize says.

A future the contracting company is happy to be part of.

“Brought our costs down, and donated what we could because we believe in the program,” Hammonds says, “I know there’s been controversy but they’ve really helped a lot of people, from our standpoint we just listen to the clients every once in awhile and a lot of them if they didn’t have this they wouldn’t have anything.”

Clients affected by the remodel are in temporary housing, but the board president says their treatment continues.

“They are still being treated by OnTrack,” Maize says, “that’s still a part of our contract, our service and we’re anticipating in like I said 6 to 9 weeks these homes will be available and ready for them to move back into.”

Crews are currently working on facilities on 11th, 12th, and King streets. The project is being paid for by OnTrack’s maintenance reserves. They’re also receiving donations by Lowe’s and HamCon Builders.

“Our store manager believes in giving back to the community, because they give to us,” Julie Inglis of Lowe’s Home Improvement says, “we wouldn’t be there without them.”