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Asheville Model Cities Aquarius
The Voice of the People
Volume 1 Number 2
January 1970
 

Housing Authority of the City of Asheville

model cities
AQUARIUS

The Voice of the People

Vol.1, No. 2     Asheville, North Caroline Model Cities Program       January 1970

Model Cites Allocated $2.2 Million
Reprint from Asheville Citizen, Sat. Dec. 20, 1969

Asheville  has been allocated a "target figure" of $2,254,000 in supplementary funds for the first action year of its Model Cities program, Logan Delany, executive director of the Model Cities Commission, announced Friday.

Delany said he had been informed of the target figure by Don Harrison of the Atlanta regional office of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD).

Originally, Delany said, HUD had indicated that Asheville's first actions year allocation would be $1,500,000. "Credit for this (increases) allocation," he said, " is attributed to a new spirit of interagency cooperation and citizen participation in the Model Cities areas."

The first action year of Asheville's Model Cities program begins July 1, 1970. The program now is about mid-way in its "planning" phase.

Delany emphasized that the new, increased allocation will be received only if Model Cities participants develop plans acceptable to HUD for improving the model neighborhood.

Asheville's allocation, he said, is the second highest of all Model Cities in the Southeast planning for their first action year. Savannah, with a target figure of $2,354,000, topped Asheville by $100,000, Delany said.

He listed a number of agencies which he said, " have contributed to this spirit of cooperation and effort to develop the program to bring about institutional changes in the model neighborhood in the future."

Single out were the Model Cites Commission and its staff, the Opportunity Corporation of Madison-Buncombe counties, Asheville City Council, Poor People of Asheville, Inc., East Riverside Neighborhood Group and the city's administrative departments.

(Continued on page 6)

This Issue of Aquarius

The Urban Development Staff of the Opportunity Corporation is circulating a questionnaire door-to-door in the Model Neighborhood. This work is being conducted as a part of the Opportunity Corporation's efforts to assist in "citizen participation" for the Model Cites Commission. As of December 22, 1969, 98 questionnaires have been returned to the Model Cities Staff. Following is a summary of their content:

1. On a question rating area problems in order of their importance, the following results were indicated:
   
   Problem*                                                          Rating
   Housing                                                               1
   Recreating                                                           2
   Transportation                                                     3
   Employment                                                        4
   Physical Environment                                           5
   Health                                                                 5
   Education                                                            6
   Social Services                                                    7
   Crime and Delinquency                                        8
   Income Maintenance                                            9
   Relocation                                                           10
   Historical Preservation                                         11
                                                     (1=highest, 11=lowest
   *Rating based on the number of times the problem was identified.
    
2. In order of degree of urgency, although not according to the number of times mentioned, the following rating was indicated:
   
   1. Education
   2. Employment
   2. Health
   3. Housing
   4. Transportation
   5. Income Maintenance
   6. Recreation
   7. Crime and Delinquency
   8. Social Services
   9. Relocation
   10. Historical Preservation
    
3. Residents indicated that they wanted to be informed about Model Cites as follows:
   
   1. Through Meetings             -29 responses
   2. Through Representative     -18 responses
   2. Through all methods          -18 responses
   3. Through the Newsletter     - 17 responses
   4. Through Brochures            - 11 responses
   5. Through Speakers             - 4 responses
    
4. Residents indicated that they wanted to be heard as follows:
   
   1. General meetings in our neighborhood       -36 responses
   2. Representatives                                        - 16 responses
   3. All of these methods                                 - 16 responses
   4. Speakers                                                  -10 responses
   5. Surveys                                                     - 8 responses

Would you like to add to this? Contact the Model Cities Office or the Opportunity Corporation for a questionnaire.

Red Cross Announces Training

The American Red Cross is sponsoring a First Aid Training program form January 12th through January 26th. Meetings will be held Monday and Wednesday starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Y.W.C.A. , 13 Grove Street.

This is an opportunity to learn first aid treatment to administer while waiting for or getting to a physician. The course will consist of:

How to start breathing.
What do do when poisoned.
How to stop bleeding,
Treatment for shock, injuries to bones and joints,
Care for bunds, frost bite
Heart attack
and bandaging wounds.

If anyone is interested in this excellent training, please contact the American Red Cross for additional information.

A Fine Christmas Present
Reprint from The Asheville Times, Dec. 22, 1969

Asheville gets a fine Christmas present with word that the city's Model Cities federal allocation for the first action year has been increase form $1,500,000 to $2,254,00.

Logan Delany, Model Cities executive director, said that the Department of Housing

(Continued on page 3)

This is a federal tribute to many people in Asheville. The whole Model Cities concept is based on strong involvement of the poor people whole lives will be greatly upgraded by the program,  and on maximum cooperation by the already established agencies in the community. The HUD increase proves conclusively that both factors have been present in abundance in Asheville.

Delany cited the Model Cities Commission made up equally of poor people and representatives of the affluent section of the community, the Opportunity Corporation of Madison Buncombe Counties, Asheville City Council, Poor People of Asheville Inc., East Riverside Neighborhood Group, and the city's administrative departments. To these can be added such established agencies as the Health and Social Services Departments and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, which first proposed the seeking of a Model Cities program here.

Model Cites, now fully assured, will bring for some 12,00 poor people ideal levels of housing, health and social services, education and job opportunities. It is a splendid program and Asheville is very fortunate to have it.

Say It Loud
By Lonnie Gilliam

In order to get the AQUARIUS off the ground and started, the Model Cites Staff took the initiative.

Now that we have gotten off the ground, it is sincerely hoped that You, the Area Residents, will become involved and participate with us.

Any information that would you would like printed in this paper is invited. In fact, we would appreciate your participating by contributing to this paper any information you would like printed, whatever.

Presently, this paper is mailed to every resident in the model Neighborhood, Agency People, and private organizations.

If there is a complaint, compliment, or fact that you want to share with your Neighbors, please feel free to call Model Cities.

Our only request is that due to our deadline for printing, your articles must be received at least one week ahead of time.

Model Cities Executive Director Seeks Commitment from North Carolina Bankers Association
[see image]

Employment Task Force Invites Participation for " Job Requirements"
By Lonnie Gilliam

Citizen participation on the Employment Task Force has been good. Many ideas have grown from some of the problems that have been identified.

Of great interest is the demand by the Employment Task Force that preference must be given to area residents of the Model Neighborhood in filling jobs created through the program.

Presently, emphasis is being put on developing a workable training and employment system. This system will have to come from the area residents. We are asking that

(Continued on page 4)

The Employment Task Force meets every Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Y.W.C.A. on South French Broad Avenue. Free transportation is provided by calling 253-2316. Money for baby sitting is available by calling 253-4876.

Looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting!

Urban Development Staff-Citizen Participation
By Mrs. Betty Lester

It is only natural for the Urban Development component, Model Cites, PPOA and interested citizens to be deeply concerned about citizen participation to its fullest extent for the planning period ahead.

Citizen participation, as envisioned by those groups  and agencies listed above, involving their areas of concern and function cannot, however, be realistically achieved because of a number of factors.

1. It is already clearly evident that the understanding of what the Model Cities effort is all about is only understood by a small minority of neighborhood residents.
2. The time limit involved in planning is of such a nature that complete citizen participation is not feasible in this period.
3. The Model Cities staff and Urban Development staff are not adequately staffed to do an effective job of education to those residents in the Model cites area.
4. Groups already organized in the Model Cities communities are involved in project that are relevant to their particular need at present.

For those reasons, the Urban Development staff will involve itself in providing citizen participation by providing contact with community residents with door-to-door canvassing using material already provided by the Model Cities staff that will give every resident contacted a chance to point out the areas of concern in his or her particular neighborhood and street.

The information will then be turned over to the Model Cities staff to be compiled and, in turn, given to each task force to deal with according to the number of areas indicated.

The task force members will be able to deal effectively with the problems because they are already composed of neighborhood residents, community workers and interested citizens. Citizen participation on a grand scale will not be realized but it will assure a real working cross section of the total community. Community workers for The Opportunity Corporation will continue to try and set up neighborhood meetings for those who wish it, but the real emphasis will be on encouraging groups and individual to attend and participate in task force meetings. The Urban staff will also put our all bulletins and flyers on meetings held or to be held.

During the initial planning phase for the planning grant proposal, the eleven teams met with community residents and, at these meetings, many problems and issues were identifies. These were incorporated in to the proposal and will be used as reference points in the many neighborhood and task force meetings which are conducted during this planning phase.

"We Have a Dream"
By Thomas Foxx

It is the general consensus of Task Force Participants that Model Cites must prove that it can solve problems of the poor through inter-agency cooperation and coordination. It is furthermore felt that many people are pessimistic about what Model Cities can do.

One of the greatest problems the program must overcome is that of proving it is not just another one of those "hand-out programs". In this light, Task Forces have jointly proposed a "Dream Project". It has been pointed out by area residents that we need a tangible physical project as a model of what Model cites can do. The following is a skeleton framework of such a project.

(Continued on page 5)

What is the Project?
Task Forces have proposed the development of a comprehensive plan for the Model Cities Area that will fit into the Comprehensive Plan developed by the Metropolitan Planning Board. This plan, in short, will develop in stages several blocks at a time, until the whole Model Neighborhood is redeveloped with model streets, housing, recreation, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and all supportive services.

The initial project would be located in an area of vacant land and/or substandard, unoccupied housing so that relocation of families would not be involved. Once the initial project is completed, a new area would be redesigned and tied into the initial area. This process would eventually renew the whole Model Cities Area.

This process is very far-reaching and involves all Task Forces and a maximum of citizen participation. Task Forces can draw up the plans and supervise those agencies which participate in the program, but they must have the citizenry behind them at all times.

If this is the type of program that you want, please give us your ideas by participating in Task Forces.

Model Cities Is You
By Charles Baskerville
Model Cities Commission Chairman

The Asheville Model Cities Program has been allocated approximately $2,254,000 in supplemental funds for use in its first action year beginning July 1st. , 1970. One might ask, "What will this money be used for?" The answer is up to you. Any you, for the most part, are the residents of the Model Cities target area. Through your participation on one of our eight task force groups you will outline those problems which need to be solved in your particular area. Then you and your neighbors will outline how these problems can be eliminated and what course of action should be taken. All over American today people are crying out to be heard, are demanding a voice in local government and the desire to participate in federal, state and local governmental projects. Our day has some. In fact is now upon us.

But we must act now. Don't be one of those next month next year who will sit back and say, " I don't like the way things are going, I wish I had had an opportunity to speak my piece, why didn't they call on me". The Model Cities program is not run by City hall, nor by any other governmental body. Out money does come from the federal governmental agencies, but the program is run and controlled for the most part by the residents of the Model Cities area. Many of your neighbors, as well as other concerned citizens outside the Model Cities area are working hard day and night to make this program work for you. We ask that you join up and give us a hand. The program will only be as good as you want it to be, it will only work if you make it work.

Starting in January, 1970, the Model Cities Commission will hold its meetings in the evening hours and at different locations within the Model Cities target area. Show your interest and concern by attending one or more of these meetings. Speak up, voice you opinion, let us meet you and hear from you. If you need transportation to any meeting, call 253-2316 and free transportation to any meeting  will be provided. The Model cities Commission looks forward to meeting you and hearing from you. We welcome the opportunity to have you work with us on this program and look forward to the time when efforts of so many will realized in a better neighborhood, a better future and a better way of life.

Next Bus Tour of Model Cites Area

2 p.m. until 5 p.m. -- Sunday, January 18, 1970

Schedule your tours, now- Individuals, groups, clubs and etc. are welcome.

If you or your group, club, etc., plan to make this tour, please contact Model Cities Office by 5 p.m. January 14, 1970, 253-4877 or 253-4876.

Model Cities Meeting Scheduled For East End- Section 1

A meeting with the residents of East End and Section One is schedule for January 8, 1970 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nazareth First Baptist Church. Thomas Foxx, Model Cites is all about how East End and Section One residents can participate in the program. Please try to attend this meeting.

Model Cities Commissions Regular Monthly Meeting

January 5, 1970 - Regular Month Meeting of Model Cites Commission - 7:30 Y.W.C.A. on South French Broad Avenue.

Model Cities Commission
40 North French Broad Avenue
Pioneer Building, A-1 Level
Asheville, North Carolina 28801

To All of You
A Belated
Happy New Year

May 1970 Be Your Best Year Yet And You New Year's Resolution Included- A Greater Citizen Participation By You As A Citizen In The Model Cities Program.

From All of Us at Model Cities

Commissioner's

Elected Commissioners
Mrs.. Betty Smith
Mrs. Nola Knuckles
Mrs. Daisy Glenn - Secretary
Mrs. Alleen Johnson
Mr. Lloyd McCord - Asst. Chairman
Mr. Wayne Jackson

Selected Commissioners
Mr. Charles Baskerville - Chairman
Mr. Joseph Belton
Mr. Harold Bowling
MR. William Doud
Mr. James Pressley
Dr. John Barber

_____________________________________________________________

Model Cites Allocated $2.2 Million
(Continued from page 1)

The commission and its staff have executed every possible effort to gain participation and cooperation, Delany said.

" The results of the efforts," he said , " have not always been as good as hoped. But the efforts have been continuous and the results are now beginning to show."

He said several programs now under consideration by the Task Forces " will assure effective change in the lives of all Model Cities residents."

All of the participants in the planning process will review these programs fully, and the public will be kept informed of this process, Delany said.