Box 1, Folder 3, Document 28

Also, in the meeting was discussed the problem that is present
in the Bedford-Pine Urban Renewal area. Extreme dilapidation of some
of the vacant houses was discussed versus the probability of the Hous-
ing Authority acquiring these properties at once or else allowing the
Building Department to move under it's In Rem procedures. It was dis-
cussed that Mr. Openshaw would at once prepare the list of houses con-
sidered unfit and "ripe" for demolition to be made and request be made
to H.U.D. for permission to spend money on appraisal of these properties
for early purchase by the Authority, possibly from the contingency funds
set up in the financing of the Bedford-Pine Project. It was decided that
the Building Department and the Housing Authority would work closely to-
gether in this endeavor to reach some conclusion officially before the
early summer.

Another very important point was brought out in this meeting re-
garding planning phases in Vine City and in East Atlanta during 1969.
Mayor Allen was not by any means agreeable to relaxing Housing Code en- “*—
forcement in either of these areas. He even stated that in Vine City
that we had done practically nothing in the last three years. This was
discussed very thoroughly and it was decided that someone from the Hous-
ing Authority, possibly Mr. Wally Screws; and someone from the Building
Department, possibly myself, should get together and formulate what would
be an acceptable common sense method for handling Housing Code information
when an area such as these two is in the planning phase. I suggested that
possibly we could use a proposed policy and procedure suggestion which
pertains to Model Cities operation, and this was well received although
no special or particular comments were made on this line, other than this.

JAS: 1m