Box 3, Folder 4, Document 7

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CITY OF ATLANTA “uo 36

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CITY HALL ATLANTA, GA. 30303
Tel. 522-4463 Area Code 404

July 25, 1969

IVAN ALLEN, JR., MAYOR

R. EARL LANDERS, Administrative Assistant
MRS. ANN M, MOSES, Executive Secretary
DAN E. SWEAT, JR., Director of Governmental Liaison

The Honorable George Romney

Secretary of the United States Depaitment
of Housing and Urban Development

Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. Secretary:

In November, 1966, we began in Atlanta a concentrated effort to
stimulate the development of 16, 800 units of low and moderate income
housing to provide safe and sanitary shelter for thousands of less
fortunate citizens,

This effort, called ''The Mayor's Housing Resources Program"! was
supported by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
private banks, developers, churches, civic groups and individual
citizens at all levels.

This program has produced results. As of this date, 21, 013 of the
five year goal of 16, 800 units have been completed, are under
construction, or in planning. The most recent status report is
attached for your information.

Within the next few weeks, the single most significant development
generated by our programs will be placed under construction. It is
the East Lake Meadows turnkey project, which is the largest turnkey
public housing development in America with comprehensive community
facilities,

Because of the significance of this undertaking and because it embodies
so many of the aspects of community housing action which you so
magnificently support, all of us in Atlanta - City Hall, the builders,

our housing officials, and citizens in general - feel that we want to share
the beginning of this project with you.




Secretary Romney
Page Two
July 25, 1969

I have been asked to issue you an official invitation from all of us to
inaugurate construction of this most important housing development for
poor people, If your schedule will permit you to come to Atlanta in the
next few weeks after August 21, we shall schedule the ceremonies for
your convenience. It would also give us the opportunity to show you some
of the operational components of Atlanta's Model Cities program.

Highlights in the development of the East Lake Meadows Project will ©
give you some idea of its importance not only in relation to the solution

of urban problems of Atlanta but perhaps in other cities.

The land on which this project is located was once a golf course owned

by prominent conservative businessmen in Atlanta. They sold it to the
March Company, a private development company, and supported difficult
rezoning in an area which had hitherto had no public housing. City
officials, local Housing Authority, and the Regional Housing Authority,
together with local business people, civic groups, communications media,
were all involved. The project includes 800 living units, 150 for elderly,
shopping center, community and health facilities, city park, recreation areas
and the dedication of school sites. An example of community support
involves the four leading banks in Atlanta who formed a consortium to
finance the interim construction costs in an effort to assist in the solution
of Atlanta's housing problems for its low-income citizens. This develop-
ment represents the highest type of cooperation among city, business,
government interagency planning and implementation - a model community
effort.

Your presence here on this occasion, therefore, would serve to give
strength to the solution of the many difficult problems we still face in
Atlanta and to spotlight one of the landmark public housing developments

in America.

Those of us who are faced with the community level problems of leadership
are thankful that you are in the crucial position at HUD.

Sincerely yours,

Ivan Allen, Jr.
Mayor

IAJr:fy

ce: Mr. Edward Baxter


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