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MINUTES Housing Resources Executive Committee and Low-income Housing Coordinating Group Meeting flpril 11, 1968 · . The regular montly meeting of the Housing Resources Committee and Low-income Housing Coordinating Group was held in Committee Room 2, City Hall, at 10:00 a.m~ Thursday, P-pril 11, 1968. Copies of invitational notices, agenda, list of those invited and attending and reference documents are attached to the file copy of these minutes. The following Panels of the Housing Resources Committee were not represented at the meeting: Legal, Public Housing, Social Problems 3nd Public Information. Chairman f.lexander Presided. In opening the meeting Mr. Alexander referred to the objectives of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and complimented Dr. Benjamin E . Mays, Co-Chairman of the Housing Resources Committee>on his e u logy address at the funeral of Dr. King. Mr. 1\lexander then expressed the appreciation of the Committee for the support it is receiving in the Chamber of Commerce and called upon Mr . Curtis Driskell of the Chamber's staff who read a Resolution a dopted by the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce l\pril 10, 1968 supporting proposed package zoning approa ch for obt aining sites for low-income housing. Mr . t lex ander then made referenc to a new assignment for the La nd Comm it tee, as indicated on the a genda, and explained i nter p r e tat ion by the Director of Pl a nn i ng on u ti lization o f the Ci ty's re c e n t l y a dop t ed La nd Use Pl a n, a s r elat e s t o Lo w- income housing . He the n called upo n Mr . Jones to comment on the Comm i ttee' s suppor t o n t wo r e ce n t zon i ng petitions . Mr . Jones e xp l a ined that t he Exe cut i v e Comm i tt ee o n March 14, 1968 authorized tr.e Ho usi ng Res o ur c e s Comm i tte e to support rezoning requests in c o nnecti o n appropriately planned development projects which c o nforM to the 1983 Land e Use Map and that consequently recent zoning petitions for a 15 acre tract on Jonesboro Road, S.E. for a Turnkey project and f o r a 99 acre tract (East Lake Golf Course No . 2) for a multiplicity of housing development types under Turnkey and 221 d (3) had both been supported by this Committee in letters to members of the Zoning Committee from Chairman Alexander and stated that Mr. Plexander appeared personally in support of both projects before the Zoning Committee at the Public Hearing! *hat the former site is consistent with ·the Land Use Plan and the latter is consistent with the Planning Director's interpretation of intended �-2use of the Land Use Plan; that both sites already have the essential Community Facilities or evidence that such will be provided simultaneously with the proposed development; and that both sites have been approved by the Housing Authority and have tentative approval of HUD; that action taken by the Zoning Committee was to Deny rezoning of the former site and to Defer action on ~he latter site. Mr. ~lexander proposed a meeting with representatives from the School Board, Planning Department and otbers ~affected such as Planning and Development Committee and Planning Board, Housing ~uthority and Citizenry to consider ways and means for taking zon~ng out of politics. Mr. P. lexander called for special report from the Legal Panel on School Construction by Developers in low-income housing projects. ~s the Legal Pa nel was not represented at the meeting the report was postponed. At this time the Chairman recognized and wel9omed Mr. Cary Hooks, newly appointed Director of FHA for Georgia. Mr. Hooks. responded with assurance of FH~ 's contined cooperation in the low-in income housing program and gave a brief report on 221 d (3) projects in Metropolit a n ft tlanta as follows: J.;352 Units 11 Completed 13 Unde r Construction 972 " 5 Commi tme nts Is s ue d 704 II 1 Appl ~.ca tion in process 300 " .Applic at ion 1,043 " 7 Pre limi na St age He a lso c omme nt ed on pr ogress being made i n t he Appa laci a n Progr am, wh i ch cover s the a rea Carrol ton- Rome-Dalton in Georg i a . Also that progres s is being made on the Rockdale pr oject. Mr . Alexander c ommented on l wo- income housing being developed· in Gai nes vil le a nd suggested tha t we here in f. tlanta should give e ncouragement a nd assist a nce if pos sible to Ga inesville a nd other neighbori ng cities to d e ve lope low -income hous ing , wh i c h wou ld ha ve a tendenc y to eas e the b ur d e n curre ntly be ing placed o n Atlanta. Dr. Sidney L. Da vis, Cha i r man of the Housing f. ppea1s · eoard, was called upon for c ommen t s. He e xplaine d t he urgent need for some sources of assistance in dire hardship cases for bringing dwelling units up to standards required b y the Housing Code; that to date all efforts in this direction have been unsuccessful and that the Housing Code Division has about 500 cases in this category~ �-3-

Mr. T. M. JH exander, Sr., member of the Housing J\ppeals

Board, confirmed and expanded on Dr. Davis' comments. He pointed out particularly the need for some City controls over µnscrupulous, fly-by-night contractors who are not required by the City or State to meet any performance qualifications and who constantly victimize unfortunate low-income property owners. Mayor Allen responded by stating that he has only recently called upon the Better Business Bureau to be on the outlook for this kind of so called Home Improvement Contractor and to expose the unscrupulous ones. Mayor Allen then made reference to the Civil Rights Act recently approved by Cpngress and to his request to the City Attorney for report on its implication to Atlanta. He suggested that the Housing Resources Committee call upon the Board of Aldermen for: (1) Establishment of a City-wide Relocation Service in Atlanta;and (2) Re-evaluation of Zoning for the entire City, with view to providing, thru zoning, adequate space for necessary housing. He also pointed out tha t this may require some changes in the Land Use Plan. Subsequently, motion was made by Mr . Winn, seconded by Dr. Mays and adopted unanimously that the Housing Resources Committee sup p o r t the program proposed by Ma yor P llen. Mr . n lex a nder a nnounced that implementation of the Housing Re sour ces Comm i t tee's a c t ion wo u ld be r efe rr ed to one o f the Sta nding Pa ne l s o r that a n Ad Hoc Committee would be appoint ed t o carr y it out. Mr. P lexa nder t hen r e ferr e d b a c k t o comme nt made b y Dr . Davis and Mr. T. M. Al e xa nd er , Sr . a nd announced that he wo uld refer t o the Legal Panel t he ma tte r o f : ( 1) Ext e nd ing the cove r age o f g ran t s f o r Cod e En1orc e me nt in Hardship c as e s. (2 ) fd o ption of Code Enf o rcement 8reas, which we should try to get designated in Atlanta. Dr. Mays said there should be a call made for Federal legislation to make funds available to help code enforcement in hardship cases. Dr. Henderson commented on EOA Grants of up $2,000.00, but which he concluded ~re apparently limited to rural areas. �-4Mr. Alexander made a suggestion that Foundations in Atlanta might provide some help and made inquiry if requirements for selection of Code Enforcement areas had been simplified; apparently they have not. Mr. f lexander then announced a special meeting for Wednesday, May 17 of principals concerned with view to determining legal implications and ways of establishing some local Code Enforcement areas whereby needy owners could qualify to receive Federal grants and loans, now authorized for Urban Renewal areas only in Atlanta.

Mr. Williams. Howland reported that CACUR has experienced

considerable difficulty in locating suitable properties for rehab i litation under Section 221 (h) particularly in respect to the high prices being asked for existing properties in need of major repairs and the schepticism of owners in disposing of their properties to a non-profit corporation with expectation of buying them back again after rehabilitation. Mr. Plexander announced his intention of setting up a series of Panel meetings to reorient members and establish more specific assignments and objectives. Announcement was made of the qousing Development Corporation status, i.e., incorporation has taken place; office set aside for i ts use in the Firs t Nat i onal Ba nk Building; funds have been made a va ilable; admini strative support is to come from CAP initially; now look f or a Director . The meeting adjourned at 11~05 a.m. Encls: Resolution by Chamber of Commerc e Invitatio nal notices and lists of those invited and attending (with file copy only ) �