The Riverside housing headache is all but over for the city of Oxford and in the long run, we believe the residents will win.

Relocating from Riverside, the government subsidized housing project being closed by the city, will ultimately be a blessing for residents because it breaks them out of the traditional “project” lifestyle.

Also, concerns that most of the residents would be forced to leave the Oxford community proved not to be true.

That didn’t happen easily, of course. It required work from many in the community including those involved with the Interfaith Compassion Ministry and others involved in either creating of helping residents find affordable housing.

But often it is these types of efforts, those that bring different groups to find solutions, the community is made stronger. This was teamwork in the truest sense, and ultimately it is the residents who will win.

Those that believed the city was doing residents wrong by relocating them out of Riverside had good enough intentions with their concern. But let’s be honest, Riverside was an aging, outdated housing complex in a less-than-desirable location. Its time had come.

Its former residents will be better served living elsewhere.