University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Register of Manuscript
for

 Housing Authority of the City of Asheville Records

M2007.12.01-122

Asheville Housing Authority booklet, "Our Community - Civic Redevelopment," 
in Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, N.C., Records, Ramsey Library, Special Collections, UNCA

The records contained in this collection are those primarily concerned with what the city referred to as 'redevelopment projects'. The redevelopment projects fall under the general rubric of 'urban renewal', hence the frequent reference to the files as 'urban renewal' files. The largest volume of  records in this collection are those from the East Riverside (Southside) Urban Redevelopment Project (NC R-48) and from the Civic Redevelopment Project (NC R-13) in Asheville, North Carolina. Smaller records sets of other city redevelopment projects are also included in the collection. The bulk of the records cover the NC R-48 Project Plan and its outcomes and the  NC R-13 Project Plan, and its outcomes. The temporal coverage for all records is approximately 1959 to the late 1990's.

In addition to locally created records, there are federal and state records associated with the redevelopment initiatives at the federal, state and local levels. The core project records include appraisals, boundary descriptions, demolition contracts, financial records, relocation files, acquisition records, reports, property photographs, and other miscellaneous materials related to the individual redevelopment processes.

The records from the Housing Authority City of Asheville were transferred to UNCA by the Asheville Planning and Development Department and Mountain Housing Opportunities, in July 2007, and  formal transfer occurred October 16, 2007 when the Asheville City Council approved the transfer of the material files and photographs and provided a subsidy for the processing of the collection.

NC R-48, the largest of the urban renewal projects included in this collection, was planned to address "a blighted area predominantly residential in character and considered to be eligible under Section 110c 1. of the federal Housing Act of 1949 and amended under the North Carolina Urban Redevelopment Law of 1951, 'as amended, N.C.G.S. 160-454 through 16-474.'"  The renewal Project Plan for NC R-48  provided for both rehabilitation and conservation efforts and for clearance and redevelopment in accordance with the project proposals. The plan is described in this manner:

"The major emphasis will be on preserving and maintaining the existing housing stock through rehabilitation and conservation techniques. Selected areas, however, are scheduled for clearance and redevelopment for a variety of uses including residential, public, commercial, and industrial."

The provisions of the NC R-48 plan were scheduled to be in effect until December 31, 1986 but reflect numerous amendments.  The key objectives described in the official plan are the following:

• To eliminate the blighting conditions which prevented the economic utilization of the land.
• To create sizeable areas of land for residential use to relocate the occupants of substandard housing within their incomes.
• To provide for sound, economic redevelopment of commercial, industrial and institutional land in the Area in accordance with the Plan and the needs of the City of Asheville.
• To provide for the stabilization of land uses and property values within and adjoining the Project Area.
• To provide improved traffic facilities without disturbing standard residential property.
• To provide adequate facilities and utility services in order to create a self sustained neighborhood at par with any other standard neighborhood of the community. Such public facilities include space for parks, public housing, expansion of school grounds, a Y.M.C.A.
• To identify areas capable of being  rehabilitated by refurbishing structures.
• To beautify the neighborhood by clearing dilapidated structures out of the flood plain and converting that area into a public park.
• To improve the park in the flood plain by cleaning out the creek.
• To provide a visual barrier for residential property located along major streets through the use of green buffer strips.
• To encourage cycling paths and pedestrian trails thru the green buffer strips to provide for the better enjoyment of nature.

NC R-13 Civic Redevelopment Project was considered to be a "Modernization Program. As described by the Asheville Housing Authority, " ...the area encompassing this project The Civic Redevelopment Project north and west of City-County Plaza was responsible for the present Health Department building among others. The East Riverside Urban Renewal Project bought dilapidated properties on 424 acres in the vicinity of Aston Park and then sold the land to builders of affordable housing. Marjorie Scavella of the Asheville Housing Authority says eminent domain was used when necessary. She remembers some furor at the time but says the current feeling in the neighborhoods about the project is positive."

Arrangement

Series 01

Series 02

Housing Authority of the City of Asheville general files

Sub series: Project administrative files

NC R-13 - Civic Redevelopment project files

East End/Valley Street project files

NC R-48 - East Riverside project files

Photographs II - General and not associated with a specific project

See also:  East Riverside Urban Redevelopment  Project Photographs