Box 3, Folder 7, Document 27

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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
PEACHTREE SEVENTH BUILDING, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30323

REGION III -* - March 20, 1969

IN REPLY REFER To:

3RF

Mr. M. B. Satterfield

Executive Director

‘Housing Authority of the
City of Atlanta

824 Hurt Building

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Dear Mr. Satterfield:

Subject: Project No. Ga. A-2
Acquisition of "Hardship" or “Opportunity”
Parcels in NDP s : z

Mr. Howard Openshaw has asked as to our policy on the use of project
funds under a Neighborhood Development Program for the acquisition
during the "Action Year" of land not scheduled for acquisition during
that year. His specific question relates to the acquisition of about
40 scattered parcels on which are vacant, dilapidated structures,
located in the Bedford-Pine area, The Activity Program for the NDP
anticipated that these parcels would not be acquired this year, but
instead in a subsequent year.

The NDP offers flexibility in the acquisition of land, so that an LPA
can purchase land in hardship cases or opportunity cases, even though
the land was not scheduled for acquisition in the Action Year. A
contingency amount is put in the annual budget for this purpose.

Of course, no land can be purchased unless it meets the area eligibility
requirements of Georgia and Federal law, and unless it is in an area

for which there is an urban renewal plan which has been approved locally
and by HUD. The Bedford-Pine area meets these requirements; most other
areas in Atlanta's NDP do not.

We believe that the money in an NDP as a contingency for land acquisition,
and even money included for land acquisition in specified areas, may be
used for purchasing parcels not designated for acquisition in the Action
Year. However, such parcels must be either "hardship" or “opportunity”
parcels, and the owners must be willing to sell for the offering price;
eminent domain should not be used for policy reasons.






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You should obtain our approval for the purchase of each of the "hard-
ship" or “opportuaity” parcels. Our approval will authorize your
securing appraisals and a title search of the property and its purchase
later, at a concurred-in price. We will follow a liberal policy in
granting approvals, and will not superimpose ow judgment as to what
constitutes a “hardship” or “opportunity” on the judgment of your
Authority. Nonetheless, we must determine that the acquisition of
these parcels does not take money, staff time, relocation housing, or
other resources to such an extent that the programmed accomplishments
of the Action Year cannot be met. .

This policy should provide sufficient latitude for your Authority to
change its acquisition program to meet changed circumstances during the
year. ’

Sincerely yours,

re
o

hn T. Edmunds
Assistant Regional Administrator
for Renewal Assistance




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