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MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FOR URBAN RENEWAL
Atlanta Room
Citizens and Southern National Bank
Tuesday, September 30, 1969
The full Committee quarterly meeting of the CACUR was called to order
at 2:00 P. M,. by the Vice-Chairman A. B, Padgett, who presided over the meeting
during absence of Chairman Noah Langdale who had a conflicting engagement. Those
attending the meeting from the Executive Committee were: Messrs, Edgar
Schukraft; W. L. Calloway; Charles Mathias; Bob Bivens; Jack Carrollton (represent-
ing Mr. E. A. Yates); Mrs. Doris Lockerman; and Mrs, Leonard Haas. Committee
members in attendance were: Messrs. William Toms; Fred Burns; and Curtis
Driskell; for the Atlanta Housing Authority: Mr. Lester Persells; Mr. Howard
Openshaw; Mr. Robert Barnett (Project Director - Vine City NDP area); Mr.
Curtis Parrish (Project Director - Edgewood NDP area); Mr. Thomas Eskew;
Mr. Douglas Wendell; Mr. Wilson McClure (Project Director - West End); for
the Southwest Atlanta Association, Inc: Mr. James W. DuPuy; for EOA: Mr. W.
L. Horshen; for the Planning Department of the City of Atlanta: Mr. Collier B,.
Gladin; Mrs. Sally Pickett; and Mr. John Matthews, Others: Mr. A. L. Watson -
Sammye Coan School Director; Mr. Norman M. Rates - Spelman College; Rev. W.
L. Houston - Project Area Committee, Vine City; and Mr. Walter Dancy -~ Urban
Corps Intern with the CACUR Office.
Invitational Notice, Agenda and other related Documents for the meeting
are attached to the file copy of these minutes,
Vice-Chairman Padgett opened the meeting by welcoming those present,
He then stated that the first item on the Agenda would be put off until Chairman
Langdale arrived, The second item on the Agenda was the presentation of the
Vine City NDP plan. Mr, Padgett then introduced Mr. Howard Openshaw, Director
of Urban Redevelopment of the Atlanta Housing Authority,
Mr. Openshaw then introduced Mr, Robert Barnett, Project Director of
Vine City, to present the NDP plan.
Mr. Barnett first explained the georgraphical location of Vine City. The
boundaries being: Northside Drive on the East, Simpson Road on the North,
Griffin Street on the West and Hunter Street on the South. He also stated that there
are approximately 154 acres, with 900 families and 3, 500 individuals located in the
Vine City area.
Mr. Barnett stated that the first things that were done in Vine City was
to form a local committeee known as the PAC or Project Area Committe to represent
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the interests of the citizens of the Vine City Community. He stated that the PAC
holds meeting at least once a week (usually every Monday night), and that a survey
was made to collect facts on Vine City, such as population, family size, amount
of income, heads of household, etc, The survey showed that the average income
for the Vine City areas is $161.00 a month, and that 76% of the property in the area
has absentee landlords and 24% is owner occupied, The survey also showed that
the residents of the Vine City area wanted more shopping, transportation and
community facilities,
.
Mr. Barnett further stated that the target area for the 1970 NDP plan
has already been designated. The target area, which was shown by a map
presentation, has 122 structures (162 families), with 92 of these structures as
major deterioration, 9 as a minor deterioration and only 1 standard structure,
By map presentation, Mr. Barnett showed the lay out for the 1970 NDP plan,
with a 24 acre park, commercial area, garden type apartments, town houses
and single family residences.
Vice-Chairman Padgett thanked Mr. Barnett for his very informative
presentation on the Neighborhood Development Program for Vine City in 1970.
Mr. Openshaw then introduced Mr, Curtis Parrish, Project Director
of the Edgewood area. Inturn, Mr. Parrish introduced Mr. Harry Adley and
Mr. Albert Twiggs of Adley Associates to present the Edgewood NDP plan for
1970,
Mr. Adley and Mr. Twiggs presented a slide presentation of the good
and bad areas of the Edgewood project. Mr. Adley stressed that the area of
Edgewood should be rehabilitated, not torn down, Four sections of the Edgewood
area have tentatively been selected for activity to start in 1970. Sammye Coan
School is a good example of the type of environment Edgewood is working for
in its effort to develop a better Community. Mr. Adley agreed to provide the
Executive Director with a summary sheet on the Edgewood project statistics.
Mr. Padgett thanked Mr. Adley and Mr. Twiggs for a very fine presentation
of Edgewood. Because of the time element involved, a fifteen minute presentation
was given on each NDP plan anda give minute question and answer period,
There was much discussion on the subject and value of rehabilitation and
the accusation that rehabilitation does not last, because the individuals do not
keep up their homes or property.
Vice-Chairman Padgett then stated that there was not enough time for a
detailed discussion on the merits of rehabilitation and suggested that the subject
of rehabilitation be put on the Agenda for the next meeting.
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Mr. Padgett called on Mr. Openshaw to present the overall Neighborhood
Development Program for 1970 (copy attached, Encl. 1). Attention of CACUR
members was particularly called to the enclosed copy of recent letter from the
Regional Office of HUD stating that HUD funding to the Region III area is only
$24, 000, 000; and that this is only 45.9% of the amount allocated for the first
year's activity for the six NDP programs now under way in Region III.
In response to question from the Executive Director, CACUR, as to
proposed activity in the portion of the Bedford-Pine NDP area south of Forrest
Avenue, (This is where the bulk of the most dilapicated housing is located, )
Mr. Openshaw stated that no activity is planned in that area for 1969-70 except
acquisition of a few scattered dilapidated structures, requested by the Mayor.
Mr. Padgett then called on Mr. Openshaw to respond to comments on
the West End Urban Renewal Project previously submitted by the Executive Committee.
Mr. Openshaw read a letter addressed to the Executive Director, explain-
ing the delays in many of the Urban Renewal projects, including West End (Encl, 2).
After considerable discussion pertaining to certain aspects of the West
End project, the meeting was adjourned at 3:30 P. M.
Financial state prepared by the Executive Director, was not presented
during the meeting, but was subsequently turned over to the Vice-Chairman,
In view of impending City elections, Item 1 on the Agenda, "Explanation
of Proposed Reorganization of CACUR",, was omitted until a later date.
Respectfully submitted,
Poet <2 :
Malcolm D. Jones
Executive Difector
mec
Encls: 1, Neighborhood Development Program for 1970
2. Letter dated September 30, 1969