New London — The Housing Authority's disposition application for the Thames River Apartments has been approved, the city announced Tuesday afternoon.

The authority had applied for the disposition for the federally subsidized high-rises, where residents have complained of subpar living conditions for years and even brought a class-action lawsuit against the city. The city received approval through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Special Application Center on Monday, according to a news release the mayor's office issued Tuesday.

The approval means that the residents of the 124-unit Crystal Avenue complex will be offered "new opportunities for quality housing," the release says.

The city had sought the Section 8 vouchers, which would allow tenants to relocate anywhere in the U.S., and the Housing Authority contracted with the New Haven-based Glendower Group, at a cost of $400,000, to assist with the relocation process.