Box 18, Folder 11, Document 24

Box 18, Folder 11, Document 24

HOUSING RESOURCES CO}



May Sl, 1967
White Paper
Mission:
The Housing Resources Committee is charged with:
(a) Promoting low cost housing and facilitating its construction in Atlanta on an
accelerated basis. |
(b) Bringing together the various interests needed to produce low cost housing.
(c) Insuring that the human factors in housing are given full play.
(d) Informing the public of the housing problem in Atlanta.
Goals:

The City's goals in the low cost housing new construction program, based on Findings

o

of the recently completed CIP study and as announced by the Mayor in Housing Conference
on November 15, 1966 are:

9,800 units during calendar years 1967 and 1968.

2,333 units each year during the next succeeding 3 year period.

16,800 units total by end of 1971.

Accomplishments to Date:



72 separate projects have been proposed, totaling 15,391 units in the following

categories:

Firm 4,286 units
Probable 2,578 units
Total* 7,264 units In Sight
Under Gansii- “46k
eration
Doubtful 3,663
Total Proposed 15,391 of which 6,149 units, previously consideres

are currently in jeopardy due to objections from various sources as to locations.

“Includes 1,140 units of Public Housing + 144 units leased for Public rousing.

Major Problems:
(a) See "Problem Areas" attached dated April 20, 1967, revised.
(b) Also see attached:
1. Memorandums dated April 25, 1967 and May 24, 1567 pertaining vo gnmunt
of land in the City appropriately zoned for construction of low cost housing:

and,

2. “Statement of Necessity" undated, extracted From



proposed zoning application.


3. Letter to the Mayor from RUD, dated May 5, 1967, attached.
4, Two news clippings dated May 8 and 9, respectively.

Discussion:





The above factual data and attached papers clearly illustrate where the difficu.

lie and suggest some obvious indicated solutions.



The program cannot be successfully carpied out, unless these problems are resolved.

In the initial Housing Conference last November the City called on private enterpriss %c

assist in a large measure in this program. While initial efforts have succeeded in ovo-
ducing the 7, 264 units in sight listed above, t.. »s is little reason to assume an cp

timistic attitude toward future efforts. At this time combinations o

ba

zoning probDiems, land costs, code requirements and general uncertainty percaining

te





program have severely curtailed future prospects. Many developers and builders
attempted to participate in the program are confronted with insurmountable obstacles and
are withdrawing.

Several cevelopers are holding up on submitting zoning petitions becaus- o

Ph
el
£

discouragement as to favorable action.
Ts a wy = 5 ny He + . atone s08 seta. ote
In order for the Housing Resources Committee to perform its assigned mission, there

problems should be placed before the elected city officials and the public. For ex



(a) Zoning throughout the City is now being analyzed to insure that the current
needs of the entire city are being met.

(b) Citizens should be encouraged to realize and accept the fact that in a large
and rapidly growing

=)

city, such as Atlanta, single family houses cannot be made available

Fh

or all citizens and that many must of necessity reside in multi-family housing units
(either rental or co-op.)

(c) In zoning matters, pertaining to an overall community problem, Aldermen should

w

act on needs of the City as a whole, as opposed to local neighborhood pressures.
(d) Provisions for decent and adequate housing is the number one priority for the
City and is a necessary prerequisite for solving many other problems.

(e) Compliance with HUD's announced policy of discouraging public housing

i

ba
-



areas of racial concentration has severely limited the availability of sites.
(f) Land in adequate quantitites, and at prices which make low cost housiny

economically feasible, are apparently not available in all segments ef che City.



(g) More local churches and civic groups should be encouraged to
program as non-profit sponsors.

(h) An over-all non-profit housing fund should be created to promote all these:
Recommended Action:

Fh

(a) Submission by the HRC to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen a briebk aweitoen
port on current status of the low cost housing program.
(b) The Housing Resources Committee to actively support re-zoning netitiens
which are reasonable and in interest of furthering the nousing program.
(c) Conduct promptly a hard-hitting Public Information campaign inforaing the public

of the current difficulties encountered and offering concrete positive suggesticns fer

their solution.

Brels: As listed