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I. ' MINUTES PUBLIC INFOR1'1ATION PANEL MEETING HOUSING RESOURCES COMMITTEE June 16, 1967 The fublic Information Panel met on Friday, June 16, 1967, at 1:30 p.m., in Mr. -Cecil A. Alexander's office, Standard Federal Building. The following were present: Mr. Dale Clark, WAGA-TV, Chairman Public Information Panel Mr. Ernest Pharr, Atlanta Inquirer Mr. Reese Cleghorn, Atlanta Journal Yir. J ack Lange, Editor, Atlanta Magazine Mr. Cecil A. Alexander, Chairman Housing Resources Commi.t tee Mr. Ray Moore, WSB-TV Mr. Jim Wood, WAOK, Vice-Chairman Public Information Panel, Mr. James L Townsend, Townsend & Associates, member Public Information Panel, and invited guests, Mr . Eugene Patterson, Editor Atlanta Constitution, and Yir . Thaddeus Stokes, Atlanta Daily World were not present at the meeting. Mr . Dale Clark, Chairman of the Public Information Panel, presided. Mr . Clark gave the background of the Housing Resources Committee and told how the Public Information Panel was formed. He stated that this panel needed to tell the community what the problems of housi n g in Atlanta are. The HRC's recently prepared 11White PSiper" was discussed and the portion of this paper which pertained to the purpose of the Public Information Panel was explained. He also stated that he felt the "Problem Areas" which was discussed at the HRC Executive Group meeting would help to offer some concrete suggestions for solving housing problems in Atlanta. He also said that he felt that the Public Information Panel could only inform the public and not provide solutions as proposed in the "White Paper". Mr. Cecil A. Alexander, Chairman, Housing Resources Committee, said that · this was correct, but that a reporter in looking for a story might also find some places where low-income housing could be placedo He stated that one thing the news should play up now is the Rockdale Urban Renewal Area. A formal award was made to the successful bidder June 15, 1967. Anbther pr_o ble~ discussed 'tfas �2 Another problem disucussed was HUD's refusal of any area of racial concent ration, and the fact that HUD is not specific as to wh at "racial concentration" actually means. Mr. Ray Moore, WSB-TV, asked Mr. Alexander to be more specific as to what the news can actually do about HUD and other such problems. Mr. Alexander stated that the press should meet with HUD and get the full story and find out exactly what HUD wants and what HUD expects to get built. Mr. Alexander also stated that he would like t o see some progress in locating low-income housing in the northeast and eastern areas of Atlanta. Mr. Moore asked if the prices of land were not very high in the northeastern section? Mr. Alexander explained that public housing can help but that the prices were high. He said that this Committee can do a study on this with help from FHA,HUD, and the real estate people, and then do an information series on these problems which are giving the housing pro gram trouble. He also stated that he thought this Commi~tee should find out what the problems are. Mr. Clark asked if this Panel should be the one to do the spade work of digging up the oppos i tion? He said that it mi ght outline the activities for. a pro gram for everybody and give directions for what might be done. For example: r adio public s ervice announcements. Mr . Moore aaid the most vunerable areas are church .1 :L 1ack of involvement in this . He said t hat there are only t wo or t hree Negro churches actually involved as ye t; that Wesley Homes Inc . is pr oposing to build in the Capitol Homes area and that thi s is not a real ou.tlay of cas h. invol ved at all as ye t. The White churches are not He asked i f anyone else knew of any others ? Mr. Reese Cleghorn, Atlanta Journal, said he did not. Mr. Alexander said that the Unitarian was involved. Mr. Cleghorn s aid that there was not much pushing to get the 221 d (J). Mr. Clark said that the thought all the 221 d (3) was sales property. �I I ! • 3 Mr. Alexander explained that it could be built for non-profit and for limited dividend corporations. that it was non-profit. He said that one problem with the churches was Limited dividend has some appeal because for people with a big income it permits a substantial tax wrjte of f. He agreed that some effort toward inf orming the churches through the press should be made. Mr. Cleghorn stated that he felt the press 1 s job was to report the news and not to try to support one plan or another. Mr. Alexander said that he believed that the education function is part of what this committee should be doing as well as reporting and that trying to find a platform is difficult:" . Mr. Moore said that the press should not t ry to champion one plan or another and that when the press does this they lose their objectivity. Mr. Clark said that he agreed;that this was not the purpose of this Commi t tee. That it should not generate one particular project. He also said that this meeting was to share views with people who need to be in an up-to - date position as to the objectives of the HRC. Then it should get the news out to the people. If people know of the obj ectives this could lead to a solution. Mr . Cleghorn stated that the town should know if the HRC is not moving as it should. Mr. Moore said that if Mr. Alexander want s somebody to push his programs that this is what the Public Information Panel is for. Mr. Cleghorn said that he felt it would be much better to hold an informal press conference off the record rather than as a commit tee. Mr. Moore suggested that perhaps more public relations people were needed. Mr. Clark suggested that a full-time publicist was needed to point out these problems to the public. Mr. Alexander stated that he believed that a panel which involved HUD, FHA, HRC, and the Housing Authority would help, but the only platform or outlet for this is the civic clubs which are open t o the presso what is going on, they are just restricted. problems of HUD of which the phases are: These clubs are not against This panel should point out the 1. economic phase 2. racial phase. �4 Mr. Clark eA-plained that the problem is stimulation and suggesting a line of action to them. What our Committee's responsibility is, is to give the news media in Atlanta some kind of guide for help and exposure on these problems. He also asked if the news people on this Commit tee were knowledgeable enough - about the problems. Mr. Jack Lange, Editor, Atlanta Magazine, said that it would help to know who to talk. to about certain areas. Mr. Alexander stated that there were several people to whom he would talk if he were going to write a study of this program: the :Mayor, Malcolm Jones, Cecil Alexander, the sub-committee heads, HUD, FHA, and the developers who are up against problems. Mr. Clark asked Mr. Alexander to give them some other names. Mr. Alexander suggested the Intergroup Relations Section at HUD, NAACP, and the people who are living in the slums , to get different opinions. Mr. Moore stated that none of these people want to accept the responsibil ity for making a statement to the press about any of these project s. Mr. Clark suggested that the next s t ep would be to use the 11 Whi te Pep er 11 and writ e a direct stat ement that coul d be sent t o everynewspaper outlet· in the City . Mr . Alexander asked that if a newspaper decided that _this was worth a crusade would it be out of line? He also s ta~ed t hat t his did not mean defending one part i cular sit e or proposal but the program i n gener al. Mr. Moore asked if Mr. Ale:xander was saying that open housing was the answer to all the housing probl ems i n Atlanta? ¥ir. Alexander stated that it would work only in some areas and that plans are now being made for t he City at large . Mr. Koore asked about the position in the Northern areas, the BOP pl~t, and Lockheed--would these areas be useful for low-income housing? Mr. Alexander stated that Lockheed should have s ome but that there were not many. There is one area outside of Oglethorpe where there has been a settlement for years, but he stated that if he were advising people he would say that this is expensive land. be gotten for it. He stated that if it were sold commercial, much more could �5 Mr. Moore asked the City's position toward condemning sites? Mr. Alexander stated that some are as have been condemned. Yir, Clark asked if there was any ominent domain? Mr. Alexander said that there was, but t hat im.,rket prices must be paid on them. Urban Renewal is the only tool that will open up large areas for public housing. He also said that the Chamber of Commerce has decided to take the basic steps into this. Mr. Clark suggested that the HRC should provide in. its budget funds for a full-time publicist with a newspaper background. Mr. Alexander stated that there was no such person for the Urban Renewal Program. He stated that we need to show what it is to live in slums. This Committee might arrange to take groups into t he slums. Mr . Moore said that the Chamber of Commerce is not very active on this as yet . Mr. Alexander stated that he went to an Urban Renewal Committee mee t ing of the Chamber of Commerce, and t hat t hey ~ doing something. Mr . Cle ghorn stated that the press needs somebody to point out the things to sponso r . Mr. AlE:xander stated that a Housing Fund ought t o be cr eat ed but that i t was a l ong t i me coming. He sai d t hat one t hing whi ch should be made into an articl !? is the involvement of. Ur ban America in this. Mr . Moore suggested t hat a flyer be s ent t o t he church es t o inform them of availabl e land . Mr. Cleghorn said t hat the Community Relati ons Commission mi ght appeal to the churches . Mr. Moore sugge s t ed that the Mayor issue an invit ation to t he churches -who are able to sponsor and then gi ve them a one-t wo hour brief ing session. Mr. Clark asked if there were any prospects f or a r evolving fund for the HRC. Mro Alexander stated that what was needed most was a l arge fund so that the Committee would have something to offer to the churches. Mro Moore asked about the Civic Clubs. �i K T' y\'i ['S' ' •'1 * ' , ■" ' "Ij I i "(V'" i" r M Mr. Alexander said, that the Junior Chamber of Commerce was interested but that they needed something stable to work on and that maybe this revolving fund would '■t' li ■( i,K', ropes, » Mr. -Cleghorn asked who? Mr. Cleghom asked who could inform them on legal matters and requirements? . «rTn*v I -'.jii'w.' I»!<: < > • FHA—^W.W. Gates. He stated that Mr. Gates had discovered that HUD will make c ^ ' ,v ^ a o¥{|i .I^N '"i. W ' It '" I i ^ ,'\.-Vi ^ 1 »i hH ' 5 Vi'i ..W > d I'l 'f'l'jl I ',i 'V'l loans of 3% to anybody whose house has been condemned or to anyone who must <. Mr. Clark asked if there was a reqiiirement for the 3% loan? Mr. Alexander replied that there was. " f / 1 1 , ' ! There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. ' >I 'n '

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