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The 'Brookings Institution II 177 5 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE N.W . / WASHINGTON D.C. 20036 / CABLES : BROOKINST / TELEPHONE : 202 HUDSON 3- 8919 Visiting Scholar Programs January 23, 1969 Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. City of Atlanta City Hall Atlanta, Ga. 3_030.3 Dear Mayor Allen: I want to thank you for the intervie w on urban renewal which I had with you during my recent visit to Atlanta over the Christmas holidays. Your summary ·!Of w.l::a t urban renewal is a ccomplishing in Atlan'la am some of the problems it is encountering is most helpful in my project on the history of the program. I also appreciate the discussions I had with Mr. Sweat, Col. Jones, and Mr. Satterfield and other staff of the Housing Authority. I have just finished ccnverting my notes to tape and find that these discussions, together with the writt en materials furnished me, give me a current and comprehensive view of the Atlanta urban renewal program. Anyone who has been to Atlantaat d.if ferent t ime s over the l a st quarter century, as I have, cannot fail to be impressed by the tremendous progress that ha s been made in both the city's phJrsical and social development. The priIIl2ry role that you have assigned to urban renewal is therefore most gratifyills. This i s particularly so in view of the atta cl{S which have been leveled against the program in the last seve ral years. The mos t r ecent is the chapter, "From Slum Clearance to Urban Renewal, 11 in the report of the National Commission on Urban Problems, whic h ha s just been released. I understand that this chapter was written personally by Senator ~ aul Dougl as, chairman of t he Commissicn. Unfortu nately Senator Douglas ' s attack is based :in large part on a di storted and inaccurate version of the l egislative history of the program. ~ conclusion is based on the opinions of others mo participated in this history, my observations over two decades of close participation in the legislative and policy development of the program, and the review of events leading to the original enactment in 1949 which I have just concluded as part of my project. Programs like t.ha t in Atlanta an:i the support they have frcm the community are undoubtedly better answers to that kind of criticism than any attempts I or others can make to straighten out the reoord. So I wish you and your associates continued success in your new efforts midl have ju st been announced. . S e y yo~ , /) v Is IT 1 NG s c Ho LA R r R oG RAMs: Brookings makes ifs research f~cilil es av able lo vis· o ·s enga d i ·ei ~ ~uest Scholars on leave from oth er in stitutions pursue their own research. Federa l Executive Fellows on Tl! rom ove men a 1 ~ n ess Exec utive F143.215.248.55Ls 011 leave from positions in private employment engage i11 studies of public policy problems . R esearch Fellows rom university gradua te schools conduct predoctoral or postdoctoral research in Wa shing/on . �