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l ' STATEMENT ATLANTA URBAN COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE OCTOBER 29, 1967 During the last two decades accelerated migration from the farms, vastly increased living standards, the automobile, and other social and economic factors have changed our nation from rural to urban. Three -fourths of America I s 200 million citizens now live in cities. This rapid urbanization is unparrelled in any nation in world history. And the problems forced upon communities unprepared for this dramatic change is likewise unmatched in the development of national populations. For ten years or more economists, sociologists, political scientists, and others have urged action by local, state and federal governments to plan and implement programs to meet this changing environment. In urban areas local governments possessed neither the fiscal nor human resources in sufficient quanity and quality to do more than brace the dike against the on-rushing tide. State government turned a deaf ear. The federal government expressed concern, established some prom1s1ng programs and formed a new Department of Housing and Urban Development to deal with city problems. But the Congress in too many instances failed to register the sense of urgency the urban crises demand, with an apparent unawareness of the critical dimensions .of the p":roblem, the nation's resources have been allocated to the rac e for space, agricultural supports and defense - but little to the needs of the cities. The result is now a tragic chapter in American history. Riots , racial disturbances, civil disobedien ce in city after city throughout all parts of the country have cast a lasting imprint of inaction and indifference . And in each troubled area the story is the same: Poor people. Lack of job skills. Unemployment . Unsound housing . Inadequate parks , schools. Absense of r ealistic municipal services . Lack of motivation. Loss of faith and of hop e. What can be done? N o thing short of a total commitment of all community re sourc es and a r e assessment of priorities by our national government can produc e results �Page Two on a scale large enough to sufficiently change the direction of our cities. It isn't enough that we have a city government of concern and compassion for the problems of the poor and disadvantaged. This same concern and compassion must be felt by business and by labor, by education and by our religious institutions and our civil rights leadership. The necessity for cooperation and co0rdination of resources has been recognized by leaders of the se sectors of our environment at the national l evel. A s a result an Urban Coalition has been formed to seek ways to mobilize the unused resources throughout the urban areas of the nation and to do battle with urban blight. The Steering Committee of the national Urban Coalition has called upon our businessmen, our churchmen,: our educators and our labor unions to join with our mayors and public officials to de ve lop and implement programs which will provide jobs, decent housing, education and a better life for those trapped in the current of the urban crises. The Coalition met in an emergency convocation and adopted a stateme nt of principles of great promise. It called upon local gove rnment, business , labor, r e ligion and civil rights groups to create counterpart local coalitions to support and supplement this declaration of principles. We believe the very essence of success of the national Urban Coaliti on lies in the development of strong local coalitions. Past and pre sent efforts in Atlanta to build a great city and to meet the needs of urban growth have r esulted directly from an unstructured coalition of leade rship in all areas of community life. We b eli eve our chances for continued and expande d successes can b e made possible only through mobilization and full utili zation of all resources available to us. We , therefore, ple dge ours e lves to work together in an Atlanta Urban Coalition for the betterment of our community, and urge all groups and organizations to join us in our e fforts. �Page Three We further endorse the declaration of principles of the national Coalition and pledge to lend our talents and our labors to their fulfillment. Ivan Allen, Jr. Mayor of Atlanta Al Bows, Vice President Atlanta Chamber of Commerc e R obert J. Butler, President Atlanta Labor C o uncil Dr. John W. Letson Superintendent Atlanta Public Schools Dr. Harmon Moore, E xe cutive Director Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. Erwin Stevens , President Citizens Central Advisory Council Economic Opportunity Atlanta , Inc. Reverend Samuel Williams C o- Chairman Summit Leadership Conferenc e �\, ATLANTA November 8, 1967 The Honorable Ivan Allen, Mayor City Hall At Ian ta, Georgia 30303 Dear Mayor Allen: In request to your letter of October 26, 1967 I am happy to report that the Executive Board of the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta is pleased with the draft prepared by Mr . Dan Sweat and has no suggested changes o Pl ease feel fre e to call upon us if there is any way we might support more fully this outstanding piece of pioneer service to our community . Sincerely you rs, Exe cut ive Di rector H DM :msb OR. L . BEVEL JONE S PRESIDENT WELFARE 11: S OCIAL SERVICES 8 73-2108 GA . A SSO C . F O R PASTORAL CARE 523-4711 • EXT . 207 872 - 5678 DR . HARMON D . MOORE EXECUTIVE DIR E CTOR 872-5678 RAD I O AND TV 87~ - 567 8 �DRAFT STATEMENT OF ATLAN TA URBAN COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES ACCELERATED MIGRATION FROM THE FARMS, VASTLY INCREASED LIVING STANDARDS, THE AUTOMOBILE, AND OTHER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS HAVE CHANGED OUR NATION FROM RURAL TO URBAN. THREE-FOURTH3OF AMERICA 1S 190 MILLION CITIZENS NOW LIVE IN CITIES. THIS RAPID URBANIZATION IS UNPARRELLED IN ANY NATION IN WORLD HISTORY. AND THE PROBLEMS FORCED UPON COMMUNITIES UNPREPARED FOR THIS DRAMATIC CHANGE IS LIKEWIS E UNMATCHED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL POP ULATIONS . FOR TEN YEARS OR MORE ECONOMISTS, SOCIOLOGISTS, POLITICAL SCIENTISTS , AND OTHERS HAVE URGED ACTION BY LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO MEET THIS CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - URBAN CITIES - POSSESSED NEITHER THE FISCAL N_OR HUMAN RESOURGES IN SUFFICIENT QUANITY AND QUALITY TO DO MORE THAN BRACE THE DIKE AGAINST THE ON-RUSHING . TIDE. �PAGE TWO .. STATE GOVERNMENT TURNED A DEAF EAR. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT E X PRESSED CONCERN, ESTABLISHED SOME PROMISING PROGRAMS AND FORMED A NEW DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO DEAL WITH CITY PROBLEMS. BUT THE CONGRESS FAILED TO REGISTER THE SENSE OF URGENCY OF THE URBAN CRISES, AND OBLIVIOUS TO THE IMPENDING DOOM ALLOCATED THE NATIONAL DOLLAR TO THE RACE FOR SPACE, AGRICULTURAL SUPPOR TS A ND DE FE NS E . THE RESULT IS NOW A TRAGIC CHAPTER IN AMERICAN HISTORY. RIO T S, RACIAL DIS T UR B ANCES, CIVIL DISOBE DIENCE IN CITY A FTER CITY THR O UGHO UT ALL PAR TS O F THE C OUNTRY HA VE CAST A LAS T I NG IMPRIN T OF INACTION AND I NDIFFER ENCE . AND I N EAC H TR O UBLED AREA THE ST O RY IS THE S AME : P OOR P E OPLE. L A CK OF JOB S K I LLS. I NADEQUATE PARKS , SCH O OLS . SER VICES. UNE M P L OYMENT. U NSOUND H OUSING. ABSENCE O F REALISTIC MUNICIPAL LACK OF MOTIVATION. LOSS O F FAITH AND OF HOPE . \ W HAT C AN BE D O NE? NOT HING S H OR T O F A TOTA L COMMITME N T O F ALL COMM UNITY RESOURCES AND A REASSESSMENT O F PRIOR I TIES BY OUR NATIONA L �PAGE THREE \l GOVERNMENT CAN PRODUCE RESULTS ON A SCALE LARGE ENOUGH TO SUFFICIENTLY CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF OUR CITIES~ IT ISN'T ENOUGH THAT WE HAVE A CITY GOVERNMENT OF CONCERN AND COMPASSION FOR THE PROBLEMS OF THE POOR AND · DISADVANTAGED. THIS SAME CONCERN AND COMPASSION MUST BE FELT BY BUSINESS AND BY LABOR, BY EDUCATION AND BY OUR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND OUR CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERSHIP. THE NECESSITY FOR COOPERATION AND COORDINATION OF RESOURCES HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY LEADERS OF THESE SECTORS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. AS A RESULT AN URBAN COALITION HAS BEEN FORMED TO SEEK WAYS TO MOBILIZE THE UNUSED RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE URBAN CITIES AND TO DO BATTLE WITH URBAN BLIGHT. THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL URBAN COALITION HAS CALLED UPON OUR BUSINESSMEN, OUR CHURCHMEN, OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR LABOR UNIONS TO JOIN WITH OUR MAYORS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO· DEVEL.O P AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS WHICH WILL PROVIDE JOBS, DECENT HOUSING, EDUCATION AND A BETTER LIFE FOR THOSE TRAPPED IN THE CURRENT OF THE URBAN CRISES . �PAGE FOUR THE COALITION MET IN AN EMERGENCY CONVOCATION AND ADOPTED A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES OF GREAT PROMISE. IT CALLED UPON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, LABOR, RELIGION AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS TO CREATE COUNTERPART LOCAL COALITIONS TO SUPPORT AND SUPPLEMENT THIS DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES. WE BELIEVE THE VERY ESSENCE OF SUCCESS OF THE NATIONAL URBAN COALITION LIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG LOCAL COALITIONS. PAST AND PRESENT EFFORTS IN ATLANTA TO BUILD A GREAT CITY AND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF URBAN GROWTH HAVE RESULTED DIRECTLY FROM AN UNSTRUCTURED COALITION OF LEADERSHIP IN ALL AREAS OF COMMUNITY LIFE. WE BELIEVE OUR CHANCES FOR CONTINUED AND EXPANDED SUCCESSES CAN BE MADE POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH MOBILIZ ATION AND FULL UTILIZATION OF ALL RESOURC ES AVAILABLE TO US. WE, THEREFORE, PLEDGE OURSELV ES TO WORK TOGETHER IN AN ATLANTA URBAN COALITION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF QJ R COMMUNITY, AND URGE ALL GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO JOIN US IN OUR EFFORTS. �PAGE FIVE . WE FURTHER ENDORSE THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES OF THE NATIONAL COALITION AND PLEDGE TO LEND OUR TALENTS AND OUR LABORS TO THEIR FULFILLMENT. IVAN ALLEN, JR. MAYOR OF ATLANTA AUGUSTUS H. STERNE, PRESIDENT ATLANTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAMUEL WILLIAMS CO-CHAIRMAN SUMMIT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ROBERT J. BUTLER PRESIDENT ATLANTA LABOR COUNCIL REV. BEVEL JONES, PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF METROPOLITAN ATLANTA, INC. DR. JOHN W. LETSON SUPERINTENDENT ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ERWIN STEVENS, PRESIDENT CITIZENS CENTRAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ATLANTA, INC. \ �L DISCUSSION PAPER Chicago Confe rence Mobilizing Urban Coalitions Chicago Circle Center, University of Illinois October 17th , 1967 Introduction With any new national effort such as that being undertaken by The Urban Coalition, it may be expected that organizational structure me thods will continue ~o undergo change. For this reason The Urban Coalition is under- standably following a flexible course of action. The ideas s e t forth in this discussion paper may be expected to undergo fur t her change a s the y are subject to continuing review by both national and local leadership. The views of those interested in The Urban Coalition are invited and welcome. Goals Based upon the Statement of Principles, Goals and Commitment s adopted at the August Emergency Convocation, The Urban Coalition's program may be restated as follows: 1. To encourage the Congress to respond affirmativ ely t o the n e eds of the cities. 2. To encourage public concern with the needs of the c it ies? 3. To stimulate greater private initiative and effort in deali~g with the problems of the cities, including both inv e s t me n t and technical assistance. \ 4. To stimulate greater support for and interest in ongoing effo r ts to meet such needs as : -- job development and manpower training p r og rams --open housing efforts -- urb an r enewa l and r econstr uctio n . �Page·Two --anti-poverty programs --programs to overcome educational disparitieso \I Methods Among the methods that may be followed by The Urban Coalition are the following: 1. Be supportive, not operational.· It is expected that The Urban Coalition will support ongoing efforts at both the local and national levels. It may stimulate new undertakings. It will cooperate with sue~ majo~ new efforts as the $1 billion investment allocation of the insurance industry f ·o r center city development. 2. It will give support to local urban coalitions. Stimulate interest in successful examples of action. Through its Task Forces The Urban Coalition will identify, work with, and publicize successful efforts to expand employment, extend lower income housing and equal housing opportunities, new educational programs and the like. Task Forces hope to serve as catalysts and convenors. The They will serve as clearinghouses of local action. 3. Work with the mass media. Through its Task Force on Communications and Public Support and through counterpart committees at the local level , it is hoped that the mass media can te encouraged to focus greater attention on the ne e ds of cities . Broad public understanding of the need for greater resources, of the complex ities of the problems involved and the n eed for urgent action are essential if the goals of The Urb a n Coalition are to be achieved. �Page·Three 4. To coordinate a national legislative campaign. The Urban Coalition has called upon Congress for action across a broad front to meet the urban ~ crisis. Interpreting and emphasizing the need for national action is as ~uch a local obligation as it is a commitment of the National Steering Committee. Discussions with members of Congress is as much a hometown affair as are appearances before Congressional coITLmittees. Structures The National Steering Committee at the present time consists of thirty-six members. They are broadly representative of business, labor, local govern- ment, religion, civil rights and education. It is expected that two addit- ional members of the Steering Committee will be selected by the Council of Urban Coalitions. As local coalitions are formed they will be invited to designate two representatives to serve on the Council and through this Council provide the National Steering Committee with advice and guidance on matters of national concern. The National Steering Comrni~tee has established seven Task Forces and it is expected that local coalitions will develop counterpart units. guidelines. These are identified and discussed in the attach ed Under consideration for future development is the establishment of a Council of Urban Economic Advisors to assist the Coalition in analyzing the impact of Federal eco~omic, fisc~l, tax, and budgetary policies of cities . A second Council of University Urban Studies Centers is being contemplated as a means of channeling the best research ideas concerning urban development into the discussions and plans of both the National Steering Committee and �Page Four and local coalitions. Further additions and modifications in the organization and structure of The Urban Coalition may be expected as experience is gained. "' * * �