Box 2, Folder 4, Document 17

Box 2, Folder 4, Document 17

ATTITUDE SURVEY OF THE

RESIDENTS OF PLUNKETTOWN

City of Atlanta
Department of Planning
August 11, 1969


This report presents the results of an attitude survey conducted
among the people of the Atlanta section of Plunkettown by the City of
Atlanta Department of Planning at the request of the Mayor and Board
of Aldermen. The purpose of this survey was to explore, on a broad
base, the attitudes of the people toward living in Plunkettown versus
living elsewhere, and to discover which aspects of life in Plunkettown
the people consider to be major problems. The ultimate purpose of this
report is to provide information concerning the people's desires toward
remaining in Plunkettown to help the Board of Aldermen in making the
decision as to whether or not an urban renewal project in Plunkettown
will be a residential rehabilitation and rebuilding project.

Interviews were conducted during the daytime hours on Friday,
August 1, and Monday, August 4, and during the evening hours on Tues-
day, August 5. The group of interviewers who conducted the survey
included two members of the Planning Department staff and five summer
interns from the Mayor's office. All interviewers were white. (A list
of interviewers appears in Appendix A.)

Methodology

The survey was conducted through use of a door-to-door oral inter-
view. An attempt was made to conduct at least one interview in each
household. Contact was attempted at each household at least three
times: morning, afternoon, and evening. In all, interviews were con-
ducted in eighty-two households, or 85% of all households.

The interview questionnaire contained two basic types cf questions,
The first type asked for factual information such as place of work,
travel time to work, number of persons in the household, and ownership
of property. The second asked attitudinal questions about the desira-
bility of Plunkettown as a place to live as compared to other places.

General Results
The factual results of the survey show that:

1. The workers who live in Plunkettown have an average reported
travel time to work of twenty minutes by car; and that over
half (26 of 41) work within two miles of Plunkettown,

2. Thirty-eight per cent (38%) of the present housing is over-
crowded, having one or more persons per room,

3. Of the eighty-two households surveyed, thirty-two (39%)
owned their houses while the remaining fifty (61%) are
renters.
The
results:

1.

as

3.

Ten of the interviewed families own property other than that
upon which they are living. Six own other property in
Plunkettown. Four others own property in Clayton County,
Northwest Fulton County, East Point, and East Atlanta. These
four owners reported plans to build new homes on this property.

Forty-two of the eighty~two interviews were conducted during
aircraft peak traffic periods. These forty-two interviews
lasted an average of seventeen minutes and were interrupted
an average of seven times for an average of eighty-one seconds
per interview, e.g, 84 of the interview time was lost due to
aircraft noise.

attitudinal results of the survey show the following major

A majority of interviewees would prefer living elsewhere to
living in Plunkettown as it is presently constituted. (See
Question 11.)

A majority of the interviewees consider aircraft noise, a
problem which cannot be fully solved, to be a major problem
to living in Plunkettown. (See Questions 10a, 15, and 17b.)

There appears to be a desire among some of the interviewees

to move together to a "New Plunkettown". At this point in
time, fully reliable attitudes on this issue cannot be expected
as the people do not now have a real opportunity to consider
this choice. (See Questions 12 and the "Many of my friends
live here" response in 17a.)

If they were to move, there is a definite desire among the
interviewees to remain in an outlying area, as opposed to
downtown, where they can occupy single family type houses.
(See Questions 12a and 13.)

Detailed Results

This section presents the complete interview form and the tabu-
lated results for each question asked. Interview instructions are pre-
sented in Appendix B.

1.

Questions and Responses
How long have you Lived in Plunkettown?

Average length of residence among interviewees. - 24.5 years
9.

10.

How old are you?

Average age of interviewees - 50.5 years
Range ~ 13 years to 90 years

Where do you work?

Within two miles - 26
Further than two miles - 15

How long does it take you to get to work?

Average - 19 minutes
Range - 2 minutes to 1 hour

How do you get to work?
*Car - 35

Walk - 4

Bus =-2

How many people live in this house?
Average - 3.4

How many rooms in this house?

Average - 4.0
(31 houses with one or more persons per room)

Do you own this house or rent it?

Own = 32
*Rent - 50

IF OWN: Do you own any other property?

Yes - 10
No = 22

IF 80: Where?

Plunkettown - 6
Elsewhere =- 4

Do you like Living here?

*Yes - 50
No - 31
a. What do you like about living here?

*{it's home - 14

*I've been here a long time - 11

*I like the people - 11

*It's close to work - 9

*Nothing - 9

*Low Rent - 8
It's better than where I lived before - 4
The play area - 2
I own my house = 2
It is a convenient location - 2
I like single-family houses - 1
It's close to church - 1

b. What don't you like about living here?

*No sewers - 40

*Unpaved streets - 22

*Houses - 20

*Planes - 19
No mail service - 8
Poor bus service ~ 6
No inside water - 6

Poor police protection < 5
No health service - 4
Nothing - 4

Uncertainty about future - 2
Traffic problems - 2
Inconvenient Location = 2
The people who live here - 1
Poor street lights - 1
Taxes - 1
The railroad nearby = 1
Everything - 1

c. Why have you chosen to live here?

*Came to live with relatives - 20
Low rent - 11

No other place available - 10
Close to work - 8

Opportunity to buy a house = 7
It used to be a nice area - 7

I like the country - 7

I like the people - 7

Born in the area - 3

It's a better house than before - 3
This is the best I could do - 1
LL. How would you feel abort living somewhere else?

*Like to very much = 33
Like to - 14

Not mind - 18

Not want to - 1]

Not want to at all - 6

a. IF NO: Why not?

I'm too old to move - 2

I've been here a long time - 1

My relatives are here - 1

I don't know of any other place - 1

b. If this were overcome, would you like to live somewhere else?

Yes - 3
No = 2

12. In the past few years, several groups have come to Plunket-
town and suggested to the people that they all move out
together to a new location. What do you think of this idea?

*It's a good idea - 20
*The idea is "o.k.'' = 33

The idea is "o.k."' 1£ the people can buy a new house - 1

The idea is "o.k.'"' 1f the people can move to single-family houses - 1
No opinion - 17

It's a bad idea - 10

The people should be able to move where they want - 1

12a. IF THE INTERVIEWEE RESPONDS THAT HE WANTS TO MOVE:

What locations do you think would be good if everyone moved out
together?

*No idea - 26
*Poole Creek - 14
*Atlanta fringe - 17
East Point = 5
West Side - 2
Southwest - 1
Downtown - 1
Harper Town - 1
Thomasville - 1
Carver Homes - 1
' Perry Homes - 1

12b. IF INTERVIEWEE WANTS TO STAY IN PLUNKETTOWN:
What problems need to be solved first to improve the neighbor-
hood?

*Sewers - L1

“Houses - 9

*Pave the streets - 6
Better police protection - 3
Inside water = 3
Stop the planes - 2
Railroad noise - 1
Better street lights - 1

13. If you could live elsewhere, what general area would you like
the most?

Don't know - 13

Poole Creek - 9
Atlanta fringe - 7
Downtown - 7

Same general area - 4
East Point - 4

A project - 4
Gilbert Road - 2
West Side - 2
Hapeville - 1
Stadium - 1

Wilson Road - 1
Clayton County - 1

N. W. Fulton County - 1
Forrest Park = 1
Alpharetta - 1
Decatur - 1

Gordon Road - 1
Washington, D.C. - 1

14. Can you afford to buy a house somewhere else?

Yes - 16
*No - 50
Don't know - 16

How much could you pay?

Nothing - 7
$16/month -
$30/month -
$40/month -
$50/month -
$60/month =
$70/month -
$80/month -

NWR ree
Receipts from sale of present house - 11
Don't know - &

15. Does living here with the airplanes flying over bother you?

*Very much ~ 57
Some - 10

Hardly at ali = 5
Not at all - 10

16. What kind of place do you think Plunkettown is for children
to grow up in?

Very good = 2

Better than most other places - 5
*Same as other places - 24
*Not as good as most other places - 21
#Very bad - 25

No opinion - 5

17a. Wow, I would Like to find out exactiy what you like and dis-
like about living in Plunkettown. Here is a card which lists
some things we thought you might like about living here.
Would you please pick the two you like most. If there is
anything you like, but is not on the card, go ahead and pick
it. (Read card aloud before showing, }

a. I am close to work - 26
*b. The rent is low - 38
*c. Many of my friends live here =- 39
d. I have lived here a long time - 27
e. I own my home - 27
f£. Anything else - I like none of them = 3
Away from downtown = 2
Good bus service = 2
I have a good home = Ll

b. Here is a card which lists some problems we thought you might
have in Plunkettown. Would you please pick the five you think
are the biggest problems? If there is any problem you would
like to pick but do not find on the list, go ahead and pick it.
(Read aloud before showing }

a. Not close to shopping = 23
b. Not close to work = 3
c. No recreation - 12
*d. No mail service - 61
*e,. No sewers - 63
*f£. Too much noise - 56
g- No health service - 28


h. Poor water service ~ 30
*i. No street paving - 66

j- Unemployment - 7

k. Housing - 34

1. Education - 8

m. Police protection - 41

n. Anything else - Bus service - 3
Street lights - 2
Speeding = 2
Too far from church - 2
Not a good place for children - 1
Old wells are caving in - 1
Yards are not kept up - 1
There are no problems - 1
APPENDIX A

List of Interviewers

James M. Bruce, Office of the Mayor

Daniel K. Christenbury, Office of the Mayor
Thomas Isaac, Office of the Mayor

Joseph Menez, Office of the Mayor

Meg Sowell, Office of the Mayor

Mostafa Howeedy, Department of Planning

John Matthews, Department of Planning
APPENDIX B

Interview Guide = Plunkettown
A. General Instructions,

1. This is a general guide for conducting a house-to-house survey
in the Plunkettown neighborhood. Make sure that all questions
included are answered; however, if a respondant refuses to answer
any questions, go on to the next item on your questionnaire. Record
reason for no response if possible. You may include other questions;
record them as well as the interviewee's answer.

2. Please record all answers as accurately and carefully as pos-
sible.

3. Let the interview continue if the interviewee wishes to talk.
However, one hour should, in most cases, be the maximum time re-
guired for the interview.

4. Record the date of the interview, the time at which the interview
begins and is completed, and the total amount of time the interview
lasts, Record the number of times the interview is interrupted by
aireraft noise, and the approximate length of such interruptions,

B. Introduction.

The following general introduction should be used in the interview
situation: "Hello, my name is - IL represent the City
of Atlanta (show your identification card). The Mayor and Board of
Aldermen are concerned about the people living in Plunkettown. Many
different suggestions have been made about what the people of Plunket-
town want from the City. However, we feel that it is necessary to
talk directly to the people of Plunkettown. For the next few days

we will be talking with all Plunkettown residents and asking them
questions to help us find out exactly what the people want. Could
you please take a few minutes to answer these questions?

If subject refuses to participate in the interview, try to find out
why. If he indicates he is too busy, try to make an appointment to inter-
view him at another date. If he has another reason, try again to get the
interview. However, if he absolutely refuses, do not persist. Record
a response and, if possible, the reason. If more than one member of a
household wants to participate in the interview session, record their
responses separately. Each interview record should contain the responses
of one person only. However, if this is not possible, indicate that
responses came from two or more people.

Remember that the main purpose is to get answers to the basic
questions contained in our questionnaire. Lf the interviewee has
questions to ask of you, try to delay this discussion until the end
of the formal interview. DO NOT, under any circumstances, attempt to
answer questions of which you are unsure. The purpose of this inter-
view is to find out what che people in Plunkettown think and want.

If people ask questions you cannet answer, refer them to Mr. Johnny
Robinson or George Aldridge. (You will have a supply of their personal
cards to pass out to everyone.)

Cc. Close

Close the interview by answering any questions you can, and by
thanking the interviewee for his cooperation. State again that if he
has any additional questions he should call Mr. Johnny Robinson or
Mr. George Aldridge. Also, if he has any additional comments, attempt
to record them on the answer sheet. (Give Mr. Aldridge's and Mr. Rob-
inson's cards.)