Box 13, Folder 16, Document 7

Box 13, Folder 16, Document 7

PRESS RELEASE

March 31, 1967

Dr. A. M. Davis, President
Atlanta Branch ef the NAACP
522-0791 er 52-805)

We are presently faced with the need te publicly express our problems
te the vast populus of Atlanta. We have tried previously to iren eut our
diffinilties with letters and ether approaches, but to no avail, We
refer specifically to the urgent pressing preblems relative te public
housing location and our efforts te settle some of these preblems with
the Mayor, the Atlanta Housing Authority and the Housing Reseurces
Committee. | |

Atlanta new has 9,39) public housing units (Completted and under
construction). Of this number, the geegraphic lecatien is as follows:

Northwest - i900 (43.56%)
Southwest - 3,681 (39.182)
Southeast = 1,621 (17,262)

Northeast - nasi



9,394 100%

This reveals that nearly 83 percent of all of the public housing
is lecated en the westside of Atlanta while there are none {in existence
in the Northeast sectien, This example of racial segregation is indeed
appalhirg?,

This, of course, is net as demoralizing (as bad as it {s) as the
new information we have received. There is a new project under
consideration in the Skipper DrivesHarwell Road-Bankhead Avenue area

which will further saturate the already saturated area.


adie
In addition to this, there are other project sites under considera-
tion which will include the same geographic area.

The NAACP has sponsored 2 Housing conferences trying very eagerly
to aid in the disposition of numerous problems relative to the
housing program. At the first conference we invited the Mayor,
Cecil Alexander of the Housing Resources Committee and represent---
atives from the Atlanta Housing Authority as well as members of the
Federal Housing Administration. The FHA representatives responded
as called. Malcolm Jones, representing the Housing Resources
Committee came and helped where he could but was unable to really
answer for the Mayor or the Housing Authority.

Our second conference repeated our attempt to get answers to
our questions as well as interpret the attitudes and thinking of
the Negro population. Again, we were unsuccessful in getting
"in-person" representation,

We, in a "last resort attempt", wrote the Mayor a letter (Sent
copies to Housing Authority and other associated agencies) inform-
ing him of our position and made a desperate plea for a conference
with him so we could better interpret these attitudes. We wrote
the letter on March 21st and as of this date, March 3lst, we have
not been provided the courtesy of a reply.

The Negro citizens are impatient to this "slow-to-respond"

action and when turbulence transpires every one wonders why.




mee

Atlanta cannot continue perpetuating the existence of ghettos.
Congestion prevents revitalization. The housing market must be
fully open; with an ample supply of low-cost housing available
throughout the city. Millions of Americans have been trapped
in the "seamless web" of past and present discrimination.

We all must recognize, Mayor and all other officials, that
the ghetto system itself is the root evil which inevitable’ denies
basic freedom and results in physical, social and psyckclogigal
damage to the entire society. Dispersing is essential if eradica-
tion of the ghetto is to be a reality.

The "racial strife" of last summer has been attributed to the
influence of Stokely Carmichael. If any disturbances occur as a
result of disproportionate location of these public housing units
then we'll have to attribute this to the impurvious attitude of
Mayor Allen.

The NAACP will probably be branded as "“irresponsible"now just
as all other Groups are "branded" when they dramatize the serious
problems prevailing in our community. We can accept the branding

5
if need be for we feel our obligation is to the Rot? ncente.
Our purpose and aim states:
1) To improve the political, educational, social
and economic status of minority groups.
2) To eliminate racial prejudice and
3) To keep the public aware of the adverse effects

of racial discrimination.




4.

We must and will insist that the Federal government assume
its responsibility in insuring that the local housing authority
and all urban renewal agencies stop using public funds to entrench
and extend segregation.

Rev. Amos O. Holmes

As a result of our concern over these Bartvns problems, we
are requesting Mr. Weaver, Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, to withhold all funds to public housing and Urban
Renewal Programs until all discrimanatory practices are eliminated
and a balanced dispersion of public housing units are accomplished.
Further, we are requesting the Secretary to withhold funds of the
Model Cities Program until Atlanta officially adopts an "open
occupancy" ordinance.

We consider city-wide planning theartant in the dissolution
of many problems in housing, school sites and the prevention of
"sophisticated ghettos.: Adequate planning must include citizens
participation by law, and voter approval of any proposed plans.

Therefore, we are demanding ordinances which will structure
the kind of planning that will meet the approval of the majority

of citizens in this city.