Box 18, Folder 24, Document 9

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“THE RENEWER

-NEWSLETTER OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FOR URBAN RENEWAL
Vol. 5 No. 9 Atlanta, Georgia October 1967

























COMMITTEE FORMING NONPROFIT CORPORATION The Citizens Advisory Com-
TO PARTICIPATE IN 221 H REHAB PROGRAM mittee for Urban Renewal

will form a nonprofit cor-
poration to participate actively in the new 221 H federal rehabilitation program.
That was the unahimous decision of the executive committee at its October 19
meeting. Following the September meeting, at which the details of the new federal
program were explained, the city attorney's office was asked for a ruling as to
whether the committee by itself could receive loans and grants to participate by
handling a project for the rehabilitation of dwelling units. Edwin L. Sterne, assoc-
iate city attorney teplied, saying, in substance, that the aldermanic resolution
creating our committee provided that our function was to advise on urban renewal
matters but had no alithority to act as a nonptofit drganization. Mr. Sterne held
that our committee is not what is known as a "legal entity'"'", but a group of persons.
Accordingly, He suggested that we create a nonprofit corporation which would be a
legal entity and be authorized to enter into contracts, etc. In line with Mr. Sterne's
suggestion, Chairman Sommerville called for a motion to create a nonprofit corpora-
tion. The motion was unanimously approved for a nonprofit corporation to be known
as The Citizens Advisory Committee for Urban Renewal Rehabilitation Corporation.
The following were named as incorporators: Robert L. Sommerville, William S.
Howland, H. W. Whitman, Harold Arnold, Mrs. Grace Hamilton, Percy Hearle,
Harold Davis, all of our committee and Herbert Waldrip, chairman of the Bedford-
Pine Associate Advisory Committee, Hugh Peterson, Jr. was engaged as attorney
to effect the incorporation, Mr. Peterson briefly outlined the incorporation pro-
cedure saying that the chief expense involved would be publication of the charter in
a legal newspaper, This he estimated, would not exceed $100. Chairman Sommer-
ville explained that these and other initial costs will be taken care of by a loan from
the Atlanta Transit System. Summed up Chairman Sommerville: "I think it is im-
portant for our committee, by means of this nonprofit corporation, to participate
actively in the 221 H program. If it is carried out under the aegis of our committee,
it will get good notices and it will be very encouraging to the kind of people we have
been worrying about.'' Commenting on the committee's action, Henry R. Fillmer,
present in his new capacity as assistant chief of the real estate disposition depart-
ment, HUD regional office, said: ''This should generate action by other nonprofit
groups in Atlanta,"

OUR APPLICATION FOR $96,000 ALLOCATION Carrying out General Nathan
FOR 221 H PROJECT WINS FEDERAL APPROVAL Bedford Forrest's famed
battle ‘plan of ''gittin' thar
fustest with the mostest"', immediately following the Sept. 27 luncheon conference
with the federal officials, Chairman Sommerville and Director Howland filed an
application for a federal allocation of $96, 000 to rehabilitate eight dwelling units
under the 221 H program. On October 23 we received the good news from Kenneth
Finn, architect in the regional FHA office, that our application had been approved
by Washington headquarters, Accordingly, while our nonprofit corporation is being
formed to implement this allocatidn, preliminary steps to determine a site for the
project have been taken with the Atlanta Housing Authority, It is our intent to locate
our rehabiliation undertaking adjacent to or in the vicinity of an urban renewal project,

DRASTIC CHANGES IN RENEWAL CONCEPT URGED A resolution calling for two
BY NAHRO DELEGATES, OPENSHAW REPORTS sweeping changes in urban

renewal was adopted by the
1800 delegates to the 3lst Conference of the National Association of Housing and
Redevelopment Officials, Howard Openshaw, Atlanta Housing Authority, redevelop-
ment director who attended the Portland, Oregon meeting reported to our executive
committee,








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One change was that the urban renewal concept be one of total community
development instead of single project approach. The other was that the federal
contribution be made 90 percent (instead of 66-2/3 %) and that local credits be
eliminated. That would mean the 10 percent local contribution would be all cash.
The resolution further proposed, Mr. Openshaw explained, that Congress adopt a
goal for national housing production at the rate of 2 million units per year for the
next 20 years, and that 500, 000 of this total production be established for low and
moderate income housing, one half of which should be reserved for an expansion
of the public housing program. The delegates also stressed the need to decentralize
the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide more decision making
powers at the regional level to expedite urban renewal and housing programs. The
resolution further recommended special attention be directed toward meeting the
housing needs of large families and very low income families.

ATLANTAN'S DESIGN FOR SAN FRANCISCO Mr. Openshaw also told the
EMBARCADERO CENTER IS IMPRESSIVE executive committee that he
was very much impressed
by San Francisco's proposed Embarcadero Center, as designed by Atlanta's John
Portman, He explained that the plan calls for 2,800, 000 square feet of office space,
a hotel, entertainment center and landscaping with sculpture and fountains, In
addition, the Golden Gateway Center contains townhouses and high rise office
buildings, a 1300 car garage and more sculpture and other works of art. Mr.
Openshaw pointed out that the San Francisco Redevelopment Ayency requires that
at least one percent of construction costs be devoted to exterior works of art.
Fresno, Califotnia, also is carrying out a major urban renewal project, trans-
forming its main street to a mall, 16 blocks long. Landscaping and extensive use
of art are employed. Summing up, said he: 'My particular interest was not only to
see redevelopment programs of other cities, but also to secure the design standards
and controls that produce such magnificent redevelopment areas.'' Commienting
on the national acclaim Atlanta's urban renewal program receives, he said ''We
have only begun to scratch the surface. '"'

FINDING SUITABLE SITES FOR HOUSING Finding suitable sites for néw hous -
DIFFICULT IN ALL AREAS, JONES REPORTS ing is difficult. in.all areas of:

the city, Col. Malcolm Jones,
Director, Housing Resources committee, pointed out to the executive committee.
He added that sites for 3, 300 units are awaiting zoning action. Col. Jones said that
6, 340 units now seem firm and 1,479 more appear probable, making a total of 7, 819
that can be regarded as definite so far in the five year program, He added that the
number available for use by the end of 1967 should be scaled down from the earlier
estimate of 2,534 to a little more than 1,900. The prospect for 1968 is seen as a
total of 3,159. He said that the Housing Resources committee had recommended the
selection of scattered sites, In a discussion following Col. Jones' remarks, Collier
Gladin, city planning engineer, reported that the land use study is proceeding slowly
with continued revisions. He expressed hope that an acceptable plan would be ready
by January 1, 1968. Executive Committeeman Calloway urged support of a project in
the Jackson. Boulevard-Hollywood area. It embraces 60 acres, including 221 D 3
units, apartments, shopping center and condominiums. Mr. Calloway added that it
was adjacent to the first turnkey project and was awaiting federal approval. Referring
to the difficulty of obtaining sites for housing, Lester H. Persells, AHA associate
executive director, pointed out that 4,500 public housing units means finding some
40 parcels of land. Consequently, they will have to be located in different areas in
the city. He also pointed out that with the lead time on individual projects ranging
from six to 18 months, the need for action is apparent.

JAPANESE EDITOR IS OUR GUEST, An honor guest at our October
TELLS OF HUGE HOUSING COMPLEXES 19 meeting was Maruo Shioda,

deputy chief editor of Shukan
Yomiuri, weekly magazine with a circulation of 700, 000, published by a leading
Japanese newspaper. In Atlanta as a participant in the State Department's inter-
national visitor program, Mr. Shioda was making a special study of urban problems,
with emphasis on the sociological and human factors.








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Asked by Chairman Sommerville to addréss the comn.ittee, Mr. Shioda spoke
briefly through Ichiro Mike Nishimura, State Department escort-interpreter. He
stressed the point that the housing shortage in Japan most serious affects the middle
income groups. Government housing is supplied in very large complexes, which
include parks, shops and super markets. Housing is in high rise structures,
extending to 15 stories, with 22 to 25 families on each floor. Mr. Shioda also
photographed our committee in action.

NEW GA. STATE PROGRAM. TO DEVELOP The aim of Georzia State
TRAINED URBAN WORKERS, DAVIS EXPLAINS Colleze's new urban affairs

program is to develop skilled
people to work with cities and counties, Executive Committeeman Harold Davis,
public relations director at the colleze, explained October 19. He pointed out that
the four year course, for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs, will
train students to help solve urvan problems. After two years of general studies,
those seeking this degree will devote their final two years to courses in urban
geography, racial minorities, the politics and economics of urban life, demography
and kindred subjects. To suppott this program, the City of Atlanta is contributing
$18,000, he said. Mr. Davis also briefly mentioned the rermarkable growth
achieved by Georgia State over the past decade. In that period, the colleze's
acaderiic program has expanded from one deyree and eight majors to 23 degrees
with 137 majors. He also pointed out that the State Board of Regents had authorized
a new school, the colleze's fifth, to open next July. This is the School of Applied
Health and Sciences. Its program will embrace courses in therapy, nursing and
health subjects other than the disciplines required for the MD degree.

NEW URBAN RENEWAL REPRESENTATIVES, Hank Fillmer, who for the
STONE AND THOMAS, ARE INTRODUCED past six years has been work-

ing closely with us as HUD's
representative, introduced his successor and associate to the executive committee
October 19. Directly succeeding Mr. Fillmer, who has been promoted to assistant
chief, real estate disposition department, is Clyde Stone, now Atlanta urban renewal
representative. Mr. Stone formerly was urban renewal representative for North
Carolina, South Carolina and Florida areas. Also introduced was Anthony Thomas,
who will be associated with Mr. Stone in the Atlanta area, acting chiefly asurban
renewal representative for East Point, College Park and Decatur.

USE OF ''PLAN FOR BETTER CITIES' STAMP As you may have noticed, the
BRINGS ACCLAIM FROM POSTMASTER new 'Plan for Better Cities"

comn.emorative stamp is
being used on our comrvittee's October mailings. This has brought a comm.endatory
letter from Atlanta Postmaster Georse W. Camp, who wrote ''This is a great idea
and you are to be commended for promoting your programs in this very excellent
way''. Rezarding this unusual and attractive stamp, explained Postmaster Camp:
'This stamp was designed by Francis Ferzuson, instructor in the School of Archi-
tecture, Division of Urban Planning, Colun.bia University, New York City. It was
issued to hizhlizht the critical need for urban planning, an objective in which our
government is vitally interested I congratulate your committee for its work toward
intelligent planning for the renewal of sections of our city."

FOUR SCORE MEMPHIS LEADERS HERE As guests of Central Atlanta
TO STUDY CENTRAL CITY PROGRESS Progress, Inc., some 80

business and professional
leaders of Memphis, Tenn., are visiting Atlanta this week to see at first hand and
hear at first ear how Atlanta sets the pace of progress for the Southeast. Headed
by Philip A. Perel, president of the Downtown Association, the Memphians are
paying particular attention to the central city. In so doing, they will see how
importantly urban renewal is involved. It will be recalled that, after Mrs. Joan
Strong, chairman of the Memphis Citizens Advisory Comnuittee, attended one of our
meetings last fall, Executive Director Howland was invited to tell the Memphis
committee how our committee helps keep Atlanta's urban renewal program moving
forward.

NEXT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING - NOVEMBER 21 - DETAILS LATER.