Benton Harbor City Commissioners have approved the sale of the Harbor Towers apartment complex property to the Benton Harbor Housing Commission so the building can qualify for federal improvement dollars.

At a meeting Monday, commissioners debated at length the conveyance of the land on which Harbor Towers sits to the city-owned Housing Commission so it can receive millions of dollars in funding through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program, or RAD. The city Economic Development Committee was told last month the building is owned by HUD, but the land is owned by the city. That would prevent Harbor Towers from qualifying for this federal improvement money.

At Monday’s meeting, Commissioners Ethel Clark Griffin, Juanita Henry, and Emma Kinnard were skeptical about giving up ownership of the land. Mayor Marcus Muhammad said the city has a vested interest in the building, but only owns the land. To make way for building renovations, he said the land transfer to the Housing Commission is needed.

“The title was clear, which will allow for the Housing Commission to enter into an agreement, per the federal government, to receive approximately $28 million to renovate Harbor Towers,” Muhammad said.

Mayor Pro Tem Duane Seats said the residents of Harbor Towers would benefit.

“Harbor Towers needs help,” Seats said. “They need help now. Not tomorrow. Not three years from now. They need help now. And you would not want any of your family members living in that kind of condition and staying there and saying no to multi millions of dollars.”

Seats said a similar land transfer will be needed for improvements at the Bus Apartments as well. That project stands to receive about $27 million if all goes smoothly.

In the end, commissioners approved the Harbor Towers property conveyance to the Benton Harbor Housing Commission for $1 so the commission can accept those RAD dollars. Clark-Griffin, Kinnard, and Henry all voted no.