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ALBANY, GA -- The Albany Housing Authority is moving forward with paperwork and preparations to demolish 125 units in the McIntosh housing neighborhood.

Executive Director Dan McCarthy says the demolition would be part of an effort to revitalize the neighborhood. The houses would later be rebuilt in a two to three year time frame according to McCarthy. They say residents are on board with the project.

"There's too much crime, there's too much drug activity, there's too many vacant houses, not enough jobs. All of those things you'd want in your neighborhood just aren't there," says Dan McCarthy.

He says he hopes the proposed project also builds a land bridge from McIntosh, Palmyra Heights and Rawson Circle into the downtown area.

The Housing Authority hopes they are selected to receive a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation national grant to help with the project. McCarthy say they are exploring other funding options if the grant does not come through.

Also at Tuesday's Albany Housing Authority meeting, the group reported that the bat infestation in seven Malone Towers apartments should be completely taken care of by the end of the week and residents should be able to move back in then.

They also discussed the HUD's 15 percent cut for the Albany Housing Authority; McCarthy says they will now receive approximately $750,000 less subsidy than they are eligible for in 2012. He says HUD is cutting nearly 20 percent from similar agencies nationwide.