Faced with the prospect of 20 more years of federal Department of Housing and Urban Development control over Carnegie Towers, borough officials and residents are coming together to discuss ways to register their opposition.

"We feel the only possibility we have is to come together as a community," council President Bob Kollar told a full house of residents Monday night. "We'll try to go forward as a united front."

Officials are looking for an organizer to help with what is expected to be a multi-pronged approach.

Mr. Kollar explained that HUD has compiled the bidding documents for the foreclosure sale of the 35-year-old, 10-story residential high-rise in a way that makes it "almost impossible for anyone to buy the building."

The bidding documents specify that the towers be maintained as a HUD property for 20 more years, that it receive $5.4 million in repairs within 24 months of the sale closing and that the new owner discount rents. Oral bids for the property will be accepted at 11 a.m. Feb. 26 in the Allegheny County Courthouse.

The strict bidding requirements shocked officials, who just a year ago hoped to declare Carnegie Towers "a drug-related nuisance." That effort, which was backed up by criminal arrest records, was aborted after Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala replied that the borough could expect a positive change because of an expected change in building ownership and management.

Some officials and prospective buyers who had talked recently with local HUD management also had been led to believe that a new owner could mean the end of subsidized housing.

Residents at Monday's meeting were quick to weigh in with their views and suggestions.

"That building is probably the biggest nuisance building in Western Pennsylvania," said Jim Smearman, of Railroad Avenue, adding it is negatively affecting businesses and residents.

Brett Younger, of Beechwood Avenue, was more blunt.

"This is the armpit of our town. It's a horrible, horrible place [to raise your children]," he said.

Others said Carnegie Towers isn't a good environment for the children who live there, pointing to the criminal activity and the lack of playgrounds. The high-rise has a small tot playground, but there is little play space for older children, which forces them onto abutting properties.

Carnegie Towers was built in the early 1970s for low- and moderate-income people. Initially, there were few problems, but as the number of Section 8 housing assistance residents climbed to all but three of the 176 units, complaints and criminal activity have increased.