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MINUTES EXECUTIVE GROUP, HOUSING RESOURCES COMMITTEE November 2, 1967 The Executive Group of the Housing Resources Committee met at 10:00 a.m., November 2, 1967, in C.Ommittee Room #2, City Hall. The following members were present: Mr. Cecil A. Alexander, Chairman, Housing Resources Committee Mr. Archer D. Smith, Chairman, Legal Panel Mr. Robert Winn, representing Dr. Edwin Harrison, 01.airman, Construction and Design Panel Mrs. Sujette _Crank, representing Dean Williams. Jackson, Chairman., Social Problems Panel Mr. Malcolm D. Jones, Director Mr. W.W. Gates, Consultant Alao present were invited guests, including: Mr. Dan E. Sweat Jr., Director of Governmental Liaison Mr. Hall Ware, Attorney, Assisting the Finance and Non-Profit Funds Panel Mr. J. H. Robinson, Community Development Coordinator Mr. J. c. Johnson, City Planner Mrs. Xernona Clayton and Mr. Noyes Collinson, both of .American Friends Service Committee, representing SWAP Representati ves of the Press The Chairman, Mr . Cecil A. Alexander, presided. Minutes of the October 23, 1967, joint meeting with the Planning Department were briefly r eviewed. Mr. Alexander expressed his intention of appointing a small Committee to r eview the "Joi nt" repor t recently released, to r ecommend posi tion which t his Commit tee s hould t ake with r espect to s ome features of the repor t; that although some members of t his Committee had participat ed in pr eliminary discussi.Dns during preparation of t he r eport, but due t o pr essure of t ime, no member of this Committee had an opportu._'1.ity t o review t he report before it was released. Mr . Alexander also repor ted on a recent meeting with representatives of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. A tract of land containing approximately 95 acres near the Federal Penitentiary and now- being used as the prison farm was discussed. It was indicated that this land could be transferred to the City of Atlanta for a housing site, if suitable development plans f or use of the land are submitted by the City for HUD 1 s approval. �Mr, Alexander reported that he had received a communication from the City stating that the additional tempory Clerk position, requested by the HRC to assemble information in the form called for by the CIP on low-income housing developments, would not be provided, but instead the Planning Department had recently employed a person to obtain and provide this Committee with such information. Mr. Ware reported that the Finance and Non-profit Funds Panel is to meet soon with Mr, John Sibley and the Board of Directors of Atlanta Civic Enterprises and representatives of EOA to determine their attitude toward the formation and financing of the proposed non-profit Atlanta Housing Development Corporation. Mr. Gates commented on the progress being made in Atlanta by non-profit housing sponsors on housing projects for low and moderate income groups. He also distributed a list of the sponsors who are actively participating and those who have expressed a desire to do so. It was noted that several church sponsors are in need of assistance in providing seed money. It was also pointed out that All Saints Episcopal Church is interested in becoming a sponsor and that it has available funds. Mr. Alexander commented on the Interfaith group and stated that they have applied for a non-profit coi:Joration charter. He also advised that the Loridan Foundation is assisting in the financing of a proposed project sponsored by the Butler Street YMCA. Mr. Alexander discussed the Urban Coalition and sug~es~ed participation by the HRC, Mr, Dan Sweat e:1plained the functions of the Urban Coalition Committee and its present composition. He expressed a desire that the Housing Resources Committee keep the channels of communication open on housing matters with the Urban Coalition Committee and anticipated that the HRC would become the housing arm and spokesman on housing matters of the local Urban Coalition, It was moved, seconded and motion adopted that Committee will act accordingly. this Mr. Jones presented a summary of rezoning (Principal Sites) for Low-income Housing during 1967 and emphasized the importance which zoning plays in the overall Low-income Housing program, Mr. &nith offered the services of the Legal Panel to assist on Zoning matters and pointed out that although he favors a City-wide approach on rezoning through up-dating of the City's Land-Use Plan, r ather than rezoning of specific sites for individual projects, still that the latter is the only way in whi:ch rezoning is being accomplished at the present time, and that we cannot afford to wait, lbut must take advantage of opportunities, as they develope on a dayto-day basis, and assist in getting individual sites, which are suitable and appropriate, rezoned if we are to meet the goals established for this Committee. Mr. Alexander proposed calling a special meeting to consider appropriate activities and procedures for this Committee on matters pertaining to rezoning of tracts for the Low-income Housing Program. He suggested inviting such people to the meeting as the Chairman of the Aldermanic Zoning Committee, (Chairman of the Planning Board) and the Director of Planning. �3 Mr. Smith also reported the names of t wo additional attorneys who have met with and are working with his Panel; he also advised that tax albatement on housing projects is not now legal in Georgia and agreed to look into the legal aspects of homestead exemption on co-ops and the feasibility of developers providing essential Community Facilities, such as schools or outfull sewers, needed for their projects and leasing such facilities to the City until such time as public funds could be provided with which to purchase such improvements from the developers. Mr. Jones presented and discussed in some detail a list of Proposed Procedures to assist the Low-income Housing Program (which can be initiated now). He pointed out that none of the proposed procedures are, or should be, controversial and that if implemented, should provide considerallnle assistance to the lowincome housing program (copy attached to these minutes). He pointed out that several of the proposqls have already been recently initiated. Due to the small representation at this meeting, no formal action by the Committee on these proposals wa s requested or taken. During discussion brought out ( as one of to a dminister it. Mr. simultaneously to EOA, the need for some Emergency Housing in Atlanta was the No. 1 problems of the City) and the need of an agency Alexander proposed s ending l etters on the mat t er the Housing Authority and the Y's. Mr. Jones also pr esented a Summary Report on the Status of the Accelerated Low-income Housing Program, as of October 30, 1967. (Copy attached to thes e minutes). He pointed out s ever al of the principal fe atures of the report and expl ained that i n order to be more meaningf ul, the s everal categories of units contained in previous r eports have been changed now to show those Completed, Under Construction, In Planning, Being Considered and those proposed, but which Did Not Mat eriali ze. The Summary also shows the number of units in the firs t three categories which are being developed a s Public Hous ing, under t he FHA 221 pr ogram and under Pri vat e Development ( conventional financing) . It also shows t he compari s on and progr es s made in ea ch cat egory with the 1967-8 goals e st ablished in the Mayor ' s Housing Confer ence when the a ccel er at ed program wa s i niti ated Nov. 15, 1966 . I n additi on t o the f i gures shown for new cons truction, the repor t r efl ects accomplishment s wh i ch have been made in r ehabilitat ion of exi sting units, whi ch is consi derable. The report also i ncludes a separat e Summary of Public Housing in Atlanta and pertinent notes related t o the Low-income Housing Program. I t was pointed out t hat a comprehens ive report is bei ng prepared for r elease a bout Nov. 15 , 1st anniversary dat e of the accel erated Low-income Housing Program, showing progr ess made t hrough October 1967. The repor t is expect ed to i ncl ude a brief narr ati ve of s ignif icant fact ors r elated to and connect ed wit h t he Low- i ncome Hous ing Progr am. Mr. Winn poi nted out that a short age of personnel and funds at Georgia Tech is preventing adequate t r eatment of the "Syst em's" approach to r e sident ial construction, in which Tech i s very much interested. I t was brought out that North Carolina State has been working on such a program. Mr. Winn pointed out that the Construction and Design Panel expects to meet soon to rejuvenate and redir ect the Panels ' efforts. �4 Mr.- Alexander commented on two additional features: (1) The necessity for speeding up of the City's long range zoning plans in connection with revision of the Land-Use Plan, to include adequate sites for low ..income housing; and (2) The submission of a package deal of several sites in various parts of the City for simultaneous consideration of rezoning for low-income housing. Mr~- Alexander also commented qn the desirability of a general meeting soon (late November or early December) the entire membership- of the Housing Res_o urces Committee to evaluate progress made to date, consider difficulties encountered and to -chart course of action for the second year of the Low~income Housing program. .-r As there was no other business, the meeting adjourned at 12:00 noon. Respectfully submitted, c~- Pp;',,.L)~ ......4/\.,,o.~ Mal Jon€ Supervisor of I Encls: VJ.W~ ection Services Invitational Notice Agenda Possible Sites for Low•income Housing - Planning Department Local Non-Profit Housing Sponsors Urban Coalition Summary of Rezoning (Principal Sites) for Low-income Housing during 1967, Proposed Procedures to Assist the Low-income Housing Program Summary" Status of Accelerated Low~income Housing Program (All with original only; Summary Report already distributed) �