Wheelchair users will be the big beneficiaries of $27 million in federal stimulus money flowing to the Pittsburgh Housing Authority under an improvement program that agency's board approved yesterday -- but meeting their needs won't be cheap.

Around $17 million will go to improve the accessibility of 67 apartments by widening doors and hallways, reduce outdoor slopes to a 2 percent grade, remove steps, add rails and lower cabinets. The units are scattered throughout the Housing Authority's communities.

"In Pittsburgh, we have an aging population, so this allows some of our residents that are seniors the ability to age in place," said authority Executive Director A. Fulton Meachem Jr.

Another $2 million will pay for construction of eight new, accessible homes on authority-owned land in five neighborhoods.

The conversions and new units will cost around $250,000 each, in part because materials must be customized.

Mr. Meachem said the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has ordered the authority to make 5 percent of its units accessible, and the stimulus money allows it to finish the long-running 200-unit effort without borrowing more money.

The authority had planned to borrow money to complete the accessibility project, but now it doesn't have to, saving $6.8 million in interest over 20 years.

The rest of the authority's stimulus money will pay for other improvements and cover $1.2 million in costs and fees and $2.7 million for administration.

Under the terms of the $787 billion federal stimulus package, the authority must have the money obligated within a year, must spend 60 percent of it within two years and must spend it all within three years.

Mr. Meachem said that won't be a problem. The board approved contractors to build the eight new units and architects to guide the improvements.

Authority board Chairman Ricky Burgess, a city councilman, said that several of the contractors are minority-led.

The authority will list all stimulus-paid activities and contracts on its Web site so the public can see how the money is spent.