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| The Community
Improver April, 1966 Vol. II -- FULL TEXT |
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April, 1966
VOL. II
ASHEVILLE IS ON THE MOVE...PROGRESS THROUGH COMMUNITY
EFFORT
THE COMMUNITY IMPROVER
MAY WE INTRODUCE. .
.
W. E.
Roland, a native of
Asheville and a graduate of public schools here. After his early
training, he attended vocational schools in Norfolk, Va,
Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh,
Pa. After returning
to Asheville he operated a
jewelry store from 1948 until 1965
at which time he accepted a position as Rehabilitation Advisor with the Redevelopment
Commission
of the
City of
Asheville.
His interest and continual contact with the people of the East
Riverside Area have made him one of the Commission's most popular
employees. His civic
efforts to improve his community
have made him a
public figure.
He is a member of the Hill Street Baptist Church where he serves as
Superintendent of the Church School. He is on the Board of Trustees of
both the Church and the Hill Street Nursery School, which is located in
the Church. He is also a member of the Board of the Youth Advisory
Council
Mr. Roland is a Shriner, and he is Chairman of the Advisory Board of
the Service Credit Union of Asheville. He continues to be very active in
community affairs. In 1962 he received the annual Man of the Year award
from the Omega Psi Shi Fraternity for his outstanding achievement in the
area of social action.
WHAT IS URBAN RENEWAL?
When anything big is in the wind (and
urban
renewal is BIG), rumors
start blowing
around, too. We've heard
some of them, and
we know there
must
be others where those came
from
Some people think
a bulldozer will
sweep
away their
house, leaving
them to shift
for themselves.
Others think it is a gift
from Heaven
that will put them in a
good house and pay all their bills.
Neither idea is true. Urban renewal is neither all good nor
all
bad.
It
is a program of our federal government for
the City of Asheville that we all support through taxes. This program is
designed to help cure the problems of bad housing in our cities.
Urban renewal can do this better than any other program, public or
private, because it has the revenue of the federal government behind it,
and also because of the great fund of experience that has been amassed
for the last number of years by redevelopment authorities all over the
nation. Urban renewal is a specialist when it comes to curing sick
cities.
Some parts of our city have become so dilapidated through misuse or
neglect that only a major operation such as clearance and rehabilitation
can save them from complete decay. In order to save these areas, many
houses must be bought and demolished to provide space for modern,
well-planned housing. This is not profitable. Even if private builders
could afford it they
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BEWARE OF "SLICK
OPERATORS"
(This article is a continuation of last month's article on how to avoid
being ''taken" by dishonest home improvement contractors.)
NEVER SIGN A CONTRACT IN BLANK! READ BEFORE
YOU SIGN...AND AND [sic] KEEP A COPY. INSIST that all PROMISES and GUARANTEES
be confirmed in WRITING. CHECK the CONTRACT with an ATTORNEY BEFORE
SIGNING FOR MAJOR PURCHASES. REMEMBER THAT YOU...THE HOMEOWNER... ARE
HELD RESPONSIBLE for the proper correction of violations and you must
also make sure that any alteration or improvements are in conformance
with housing and building regulations.
DON'T GIVE the work your final "OKAY" until it has been
passed by the CITY INSPECTOR and the REHABILITATION OFFICER of
the Redevelopment Commission.
DON'T SIGN A "COMPLETION CERTIFICATE" before the job is
finished to your satisfaction and the required CITY and REDEVELOPMENT
COMMISSION REHABILITATION OFFICE
INSPECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. IF YOU DO, the contractor may collect his
money from the financing agency, BUT FAIL TO COMPLETE THE WORK.
DON'T SELL YOUR PROPERTY.
CONTACT YOUR REHABILITATION OFFICE BEFORE STARTING ANY
TYPE OF REHABILITATION WORK.
THE AGENCIES LISTED BELOW ARE READY AND WILLING TO
SERVE YOU:
REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
REHABILITATION
OFFICE
86 LIVINGSTON-STREET
TELEPHONE - 253-4745
CITY DEPARTMENT
Codes, Permits, Inspections, and Zoning
CITY HALL BUILDING
TELEPHONE - 253-3611
FAMILIARIZE yourself with the above guide lines. If further explanation
is needed contact your neighborhood chairman or the Rehabilitation
Office.
THE REHABILITATION OFFICE has been established to serve and guide you,
take advantage of it - it can save you money.
Vito F. LePore
COMMUNITY RENEWAL ADVISOR
APRIL IS YWCA MONTH
During this month, visit your YWCA and find
out what you can do. Make new friends - learn new skills!
There is a program for all ages. Join today! Just come
to 13 Grove Street or 185 S. French Broad Avenue - or give your
membership to one of the campaign workers.
WHO ARE THEY?
In the next few months, the faces in the
picture above will become more familiar to everyone in the East
Riverside Area.
Dwight Patterson and Morris Johnson will be calling on
people at home, talking to organizations, and getting small groups
together to find out what should be done to make East Riverside an even
better place to live.
A survey of the area will be made by interviewers going
into each home in the early part of June. Dwight Patterson and Morris
Johnson are working to make everyone familiar with the material in the
survey.
Look for them. Let them know what you are
thinking...and ask questions! |
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CAN YOU FIND YOUR HOUSE
IN THIS PICTURE?
This is a bird's eye view of the East Riverside Area. It was made from a
small plane last fall. It shows almost all of the project area from
Milliard Street (lower right hand corner), to Walton Street Park (upper
left hand side) - from the tracks (those tiny little oblong things are
boxcars), to Coxe Avenue. The landmarks numbered on the picture are: 1.
Aston Park, 2. YWCA, 3. South French Broad High School, 4. Livingston
Street School, 5. The Rehabilitation Office, 6. Walton Street Park.
PTSA BEAUTIFIES
The Parent-Teacher-Student Association of South French
Broad High School has entered whole-heartedly into the program of the
Redevelopment Commission.
Recently, two projects, a talent show and a tea,
provided $198.25 to pay for shrubbery which has been planted around the
school. This shrubbery helps beautify our school and at the same time
indicates the Association's cooperation with Urban Renewal.
—Miss M. E. Jones
MOVIES
Educational movies will be shown at the Livingston
Street School on the nights of April 20 and April 27 at 7:30 p.m: Dr. Pallazza, a psychologist, will lead a group discussion after the films
are shown. All East Riverside residents are cordially invited.
________________________________________
More than 1 1/2 times as many babies die in the East Riverside
Area than in other sections of similar size. Greater care needs to be
taken with our newborn. |
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URBAN RENEWAL
- Continued from Page 1
could not make much profit. Urban renewal is not designed to make
money, but to use it to improve our city and to help provide better
housing for our citizens.
Urban renewal is an Asheville operation with most of
the money coming from the federal government. The City of Asheville
makes all the important decisions concerning where renewal is to
take place, when it will happen, and what the new land is
to be used for. In this way Asheville is sure to do what her citizens
want.
When the plans that are now being made are completed,
probably by January, 1967, the Redevelopment Commission will start
buying the houses in the East Riverside Area that are too dilapidated to
be repaired. Owners will be offered a fair price, based on two or three
separate appraisals. No one will be left homeless. Each family, whether
it owns or rents, will be given assistance, both personal and financial,
in finding a "standard" place to live. By "standard", we mean a place
that is as good or better than the
city housing code requirements. It is a
place as good as or better than the house that
must be torn down.
There are other houses in the area that are in fair
condition and can be improved to "standard" through rehabilitation. In
some cases, this work can be done with low-interest rate government
loans to include rehabilitation while actually lowering monthly house
payments.
Urban renewal is not a "gift". It will cost some
people money. In some cases, it causes people a
certain amount of inconvenience. It is not a program which
will help everyone, but it will help almost
everyone. It is the only way to turn our run-down neighborhoods into
communities that once again offer the citizens a decent, heat thy place
in which to live and work.LIVINGSTON
STREET SCHOOL PROJECT
A beautification project was launched by the Livingston Street School
PTA, Student Council, and Grade Mothers. Mr. Edington, principal, said
the PTA hopes this project will spread. This project is in cooperation
with the city-wide Beautification Project.
The PTA meets next-April 19,at 7:30
p.m.
REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
OF THE
CITY OF ASHEVILLE
P.O. Box 7148
604 City Building
Asheville, N. C. 28807 |
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