Box 5, Folder 2, Document 20

Box 5, Folder 2, Document 20

INXTRA CT
from
ATLANTA'S GOMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REPORT
SECTION TWO: DEVELOPING AN AFFIRMATIVE RLOCATION PROGRAM

* * *

AN AFFIRMATIVE RELOCATION PROGRAM

The factual analysis of relocation housing practices and relocation housing
resources as related to those persons and families displaced by governmental
action presented thus far results in one unavoidable conclusion:

Atlanta does not have the nousing resources to meet the needs of persons
to be displaced bv future governmental action. Before Atlanta can proceed with
expanded code enforcement and urban renewal activities it must increase its low=

income housing stock,



In addition, an affirmative relocation program for Atlanta must include
changes in organization, procedures, and policies apvropriate to the findings
of Section One of this report. Section One shows the need for a definite system

of low-to-moderate income housing planning which will provide replacement housing

at the time of displacement. It also reveals the need for overall coordination



of community development efforts; better récord keeping and data use; improved
timing of relocation counseling services and survey; improved use of existing
relocation resources; and an improved policy of local initiative in providing
local assistance to displacees when such aid is not available through existing
programs.

The following recommendations have been devised to meet the needs outlined.
They are presented in two categories: (1) recommendations of an interim nature
for immediate action to alleviate the present low-income housing shortage, and
(2) recommendations on organization, procedure, and policies aceaiaeven necessary
for effective long range relocation and relocation housing planning.

we * *

Recommendation 3

That a Housing Resources Bureau be established oe a major division within
the proposed Community Vevelopment Department recommended as a part of the
reorganization plan of the "Government of the City of Atlanta = A Survey Report”

by the Public Administration Service.

fy od 4


It is the intent of this recommendation that "Housing Planning" be elevated
to a position never before achieved in Atlanta as a highly technical entity with
its own staff. Responsibility would be broadly based and not narrowly confined
to urban renewal objectives. The major activity would be the planning of housing
resources through research for all types of displacement and relocation needs;
therefore, this new technical division could be called - for lack of a better
name = "Housing Resources Bureau",

The proposed Housing Resources Bureau should have as its head an assistant
to the Community “evelopment Department Director. It should be staffed with
capable, informed economic analysts and planners with demonstrated knowledge
of the housing industry, the community, and the local housing market. This
new governmental agency would have the following responsibilities:

Ae ‘Basearen

Maintain a continuous inventory of housing in the City of Atlanta by
size of unit, whether for sale or rent, condition of unit, type of unit compared
to significant rent/cost ranges, and specific location. In addition, the
Housing Resources Bureau would retain sufficient data on the characteristics of
the low-income to moderate-income population and their housing locations and
needs as necessary for a continual assessment of market potential. Although costly,
the retention of such housing and population data would be an extremely valuable
planning tool for both public and private interests. Futhermore, this function
is seen as the only practical way definitive "client analyses" can be achieved
to obtain the best possible housing balance in the area or to plan for maintaining
that balance with the criteria attached to the various existing and proposed
housing assistance programs.

The Housing Resources Bureau would identify the potential of use of housing
assistance programs in advance of all governmental community redevelopment projects.
Through cooperation with the appropriate agencies the "Bureau" would program
and initiate loan, grant, or unit reservations for housing assistance at a time
sufficient to assure such houptne FantiPties are "on the ground" at the time
people are displaced by governmental projects.

B. Public Information

Periodically, reports would be issued and distributed to realtors, devel-
opers, banks, and concerned public or private agencics. These reports would
indicate existing housing imbalances determined by comparing the characteristics
of the existing housing stock tothe changing character of area ecomomy and

population.
C. Technical Assistance



The Bureau would be responsible for providing designated city agencies
with information on housing and population characteristics necessary to the
major report forms required in the administration of their programs with the
Federal Government (Workable Program forms, Survey and Planning Applications
for urban renewal, public housing nacarvation information, etc.). Such
information would be of a designated format confined.to housing and tenant
“characteristics and provided at designated intervals. This responsibility
would provide important consistency and, hopefully, improve understanding and
accuracy of such data.

The Housing Resources Bureau would purposefully solicit and encourage
assistance and support from area realtors, developers, and the like, by offering
special services in defining and describing special housing market needs, and,
wnere appropriate, applying information on the potential use of governmental
assistance programs for low-to moderate-income housing markets.

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