Minutes 07/25/1978 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 (~ TUESDAY JULY 25, 1978 administering peoples living patterns as required in the housing provlslons of the Housing & Community Development Act of 1974 as amended. It has been the housing requirements of this latter act about rental subsidy and spatial deconcentration which I have opposed so vigrously since 1975. When I supported the 1970 program I indicated that I let my "hope" of success outweigh my innate suspicion that federal housing programs worked against the public good. Anyone who wishes to evaluate the Rivermont project today can see that my hope was not fulfilled. I can say at least that the Rivermont project was located as an entity within itself and was not erected cheek to jowl to independently owned single family units wherein the owners had shown pride of ownership with well kept houses and neat lawns. The project was physically separated by the main line of the N & W Railway. Its access was only to a principal highway and not through developed residential property. In reading the Housing & Community Development Act - and in having it explained by top officials of HUD, I find one of its primary objectives is to provide the spatial deconcentration of housing opportunities for those alleged to be underprivileged persons. I am opposed, and always will be, to any program, federal, state or local of compulsory housing. Despite my previously expressed comments that our city ultimately would have to instigate such compulsory housing if we applied for any public funds under the Act, I have been assured by the city attorney that in applying for this water grant the city will not be required to participate in any compulsory housing program. Nor will the city be required to do anything other than is already being done in housing. Based upon these assurances, and based upon the industrial needs of the city, I will support this application. I do this without relaxing in any measure my opposition to what I perceive to be the overall objectives of the Housing & Community Development Act. As a matter of fact I find the city's application for the proposed water system improvement program not in compliance with the language or intent of the Act. If the city can get by with this so be it. Upon motion, duly seconded and unanimously carried, Council authorized and directed the filing of the UDAG application and adopted the following two resolutions in connection - therewith, meanwhile commending Assistant City Manager-Public Works Director George W. Brown for his outstanding efforts and work in developing necessary information for, and preparing, the UDAG application: WHEREAS. pursuant to authorization of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia. by resolution dated April 11, 1978, the City of Martinsville filed a pre-application form with the appropriate agency of the Federal Government seeking an invitation to file a formal application with said agency for funds. under the Urban