.MTkxNQ.MTkxNQ

CITY OF .ATLANT.A June 27, 1969 CITY HALL ATLANTA, GA. 30303 Tel. 522-4463 Area Code 404 IVAN ALLEN, JR ., MAYOR MEMORANDUM TO: CECIL A. ALE XANDER, Chairman Housing Resources Committee MALCOLM D. JONES Housing Coordinator Mr. R. Earl Landers Administrative Assistant On June 23, at request of Jim Parham, I attented a meeting in his office with representatives of J.P. Stephens and Company. Highlights of the meeting were as follows: 1. J.P. Stephens and Company expressed willingness to cooperate fully with EOA, Cit.y of Atlanta or any other agency in resolving the housing delima created by the Company's closing the Exposition Cotton Mills and selling the property for redevelopment. 2. The Company denied lack of information to its people and non-cooperative spirit in dealing with or answering queries of local agencies. 3. 2,700 jobs from other firms were offered to the affected employees after announcement was made of closing the Exposition Cotton Mills. Some of these were accepted. 4. September 1, is the one and only date announced by the Company as to when it would like for all of the houses to be vacated. 5. The Company is still shootilg for this date, but does not pre clude alternatives if justified. 6. Th e re are still 177 families occupying Company home s in the a r ea. 7. The Company anticipates that a sizea ble numb er o f t h ese will vacate during the 4 t h o f J ul y we e k-end. 8. It was agreed by all concerne d tha t t h er e wi l l probably be a residual group ( which cou l d be substantia l) of families which will not move on their own initiative, for various reasons, some of which may be legitimate and some may not. This is the group that both EOA and the Company are concerned about and which could bec ome a problem for the City. �Page Two 9. It was apparent that no organization or Agency of or in the City is currently geared to take on the responsibility of assisting this group, since they are not being displaced by Governmental Action; and the City has no agency to provide relocation assistance in such situations. _Solution was sought without much progress and appeared to be a stalemate. 10. _ I then proposed and so recommend t. ~-· the following, which was enthusiastically received by all participants at the Conference. a. Effective July 15 through August, the Company provide without cost a room(s) on the premises to be set up as a relocation assistance office. This office to be staffed by: 1. A Company Representative 2. EOA Representative(s) 3. Housing Authority Representative(s) (Relocation Worker(s) 4. FHA foreclosure homes office be requested to have informationa l material at this office and a partime representative. b. All remaining families be informed (perhaps by circular) of the existance of this Relocation Ass:i:tance Office and encouraged to register their family composition, ages and sexes, amount the family is able or willing to pay, whether rental or purchase housing is desired and preference as to locations. c. The staff to record this information and then actively attempt to relocate these families in whatever type of housing that may be available, particularly by private development. d. If some families are unable to pay advance rents, make utility deposits and or hire drayaq,e to move, that the staff attempt to get necessary assistance through any source that may be available, including welfare and charitable organizations and that moving of household goods locally if necessary be done by City owned trucks and Prison labor detail (as was done once before in vacating a condemnedflooded - portion of Buttermilk Bottoms). �Page Three 11. It was felt that the Housing Authority could justify its participation in this venture on the theory that it would be checking out these families which might be able to qualify for Public Housing, but if this could not be done legally that the City of Atlanta contract with the Housing Authority in a nominal amount (perhaps $1,000 only) to perform this service, in order to make it legal. I would suggest that the Housing Authority, the Agency mos~ experienced in Relocation, be placed in charge of this emergency operation. Both EOA and the Company agreed to participate in such a project. 12. Unless something of this nature is done timely, I anticipate that at the last minute the City may become embarrassed and critized for not having foreseen the difficulty and done something about it. 13. I recommend that procedure, substantially as indicated above, be effected commencing July 15 and continued until all of the families have been satisfactorily relocated. Sincerely, /"2,~E: Malcolm D. ones Housing Co rdinator MDJ/mc �