Box 5, Folder 11, Document 104

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HOUSING RESOURCES COMMITTEE
ROOM 1204, CITY HALL
June 26, 1968

Mr. Collier B. Gladin
Planning Director

City Hall

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Dear Collier:

Thank you for your letter of June 24, 1968, enclosing and
requesting comment on your Staff Paper on Housing, May 1968.

The build up is good and background statistics well documented.
As your paper indicates, there is still a need for the number of
units established es our goal, 16,800 within a five year period,
and in fact more.

Progress has been difficult but positive, There has recently
developed a tmmendous ground swell of support for the program, as
evidenced by support on a broad basis for the “package zoning"
proposal. To slacken the program now would most likely be
disasterous.

At the rate we are now moving, there is good likelyhood that
the goal of 16,800 units can be obtained by the end of the five
year period (December 1971), if we include units Under Construction
and In Planning, #lthough at is not likely that a11 of the units
will be ready for occupancy by that time,

I would be among the first to agree that the relationship
between displacement and housing development should be compatable.
However, this can be obtained by speeding up planned development
guch as NASH-BANS, Plunkettown, Summerhill and East Atlanta, which
are already long overdue, just as well as by cutting back on the
housing development program on which we gre now embarked.

i am thoroughly convinced that to obtain the greatest success,
the low-income housing program needs to be planned in advance as to
specific site locations, number and type of units to be developed
and priorities established toward which Community Facilities, such
as schools, recreational sreas, sewer and storm drainage are planned


Mr. Collier Gladin
dune 26, 1968

Page 2

by the responsible Departments for development simultaneous with
development of the low and medium income howing units on such
sites.

Aliso it becomes increasingly apparent that our efforts for
development of low-income housing must soon be extended into the
neighboring unincorporated areas and support and cocoperation of
are Perec Commissioners in such areas actively sought and actually
solicited.

The land bank idea is definitely appropriate for pursuit by
the recently established Non-profit Housing Development Corporation,
sponsored by the Housing Resources Committee. However, such
corporation should have a broad scope of opegation and not limited,
as suggested, to “the primary responsibility".of operation and
management of the “land bank". By banking land, however, it could
serve as a throttle influencing the rate of development of low-
income housing.

It does not appear necessary or appropriate for the Non-profit
Housing Development Corporation to be supported by private donatiocus,
but rather by loans instead, at relatively low interest rates,
from local business firms and private citizens, to be repaid, with
interest, as and when the corporation is in position te do so.
Neither do I consider it appropriate for such corporation to be
given taxing authority or eminent domain powers, nor does it
appear necessary or desirable for Housing Authority to intervene
on behalf of the Non-profit Development in use of its powers of
eminent domain,

Concur fully in the need for and utilization of a strong
over-crowding Ordinance. Atlanta presumably already has one
incorporated in the provisions of the Housing Code. Strict
interpretation and rigid enforcement however are essential to
suceess of such an ordinance.

The resident elligibility requirement of the Housing Authority
for Public Housing has recently been extended from 6 to 12 months,
upon recommendation 62 the Housing Resources Committee. Close
supervision however is essential if it is to produce the effect
intended.

I heartily agree that stronger provisions in the Housing Code
for tenant responsibility and atrict enforcement of such provisions
by the City is a must, if our existing stock of standard rental
dwelling units is to be maintained.

nee ne ee




Mr. Collier Gladin
Page 3
June 26, 1968

Effective registration of residents, particularly new comers,
and verification of their legitimacy for school purposes should be
helpful in many ways, in addition to limiting the illegal school
population.

The City’s housing relocation service, now vested in the
Housing Authority, should insure that full advantage is taken
of all available housing resources, to include all projects developed
under Federal assisted low and medium income housing programs, as
well as low-cost Conventional financed housing. It is not clear
that this has been done in the past, to the fullest extent.

I am glad to have had the opportunity to review your Staff

Paper on Housing end hope that the above comments may be helpful
in developing, thinking and policy pertaining to the low-income

housing program,
Sincerely,

Malcoim D. Jones
Housing Coordinator

MDJ /mac




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