History of Community Renewal

As you know I am teaching a course at the University of Virginia this spring, "Housing and Community Development." In these first weeks of the semester, I am having my students do considerable reading in the field of community development. From the War on Poverty forward, they are getting a good idea of what has worked and what hasn't. In addition we are looking at issues facing communities. It is hard to keep all the acronyms of community programs in mind. Take for example the SIP or ARA or CAP. If these acronyms don't immediately jog your memory on the program don't think it is you. These are just a few programs in a long list that have been enacted over the years and no longer are on the books. Now why is that? We have tried an endless array of "fix-its" for our communities with limited success. It is time to change that trend and invest in communities again. What--you cry--can we do in this economy? We had better do a lot to get people working in the inner city, stimulate business development that uses 21st century skills, and invigorate our rural areas with new opportunities for growth that go beyond farming, textiles, and mining. In other words we have got to get our act together in our communities if we want to have a sustainable jumpstart to our economy. Bob Herbert's op-ed this morning in the New York Times about the history of infrastructure is another case in point for remembering history.

As Charles Kettering once said, "those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it." We cannot ignore the history of our community renewal efforts. We must learn from them and act on that knowledge. We are great at reinventing the wheel and adding a different name but this time we have got to invent new ways to grow and sustain our communities. The first step in this process is to understand where we have been as I tell my students. Asheville, NC, is taking a look at the affect of their urban renewal efforts. Great idea.

Comments

[Jim]

Thank you for posting this item on your blog.

Here in Asheville, NC, there is a plan to expand an interstate which is not congested and destroy 19 houses in a predominately black neighborhood. In December, many of us watched in amazement as the county commissioners moved to recommend approving this plan on a meeting the afternoon of December 23, 2008 (as Jon Stewart would say, you can't make this stuff up:
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2008/buncombe_commissioners_cancel_tuesday_meeting_on_i_26 ).

When they DID hold the hearing on Jan. 6th, about 140 people showed up to recommend an alternative that would not raze the homes. We knew that two commissioners were in favor (they had voted, essentially in secret, two years previous to sell part of the town square in front of the city hall to a private developer, at reduced price, so that a 10 story luxury condo could be built), two were opposed, and swing vote was up in the air.

We listened closely to hear what the swing vote would say. "I've talked to people outside the Chamber of Commerce," he explained, looking out over the sea of faces, almost unanimous in their opposition to the plan, "and nobody I've spoke to is for the alternative [which would not raze the houses]", and then voted for the highway expansion alternative which would raze the houses.

At that point, the majority of the folks in the audience walked out (many, including myself, had voted for the swing vote, thinking him fair and open-minded).

Since then, many people have brought this topic up in conversation, and a Facebook page called "Save Burton Street" has gained almost 450 members in less than a month. A forum is in the works for later this month, I've heard.

Those interested can read more at
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2009/an_i_26_primer
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2009/buncombe_commissioners_make_their_pick_for_i_26_connector_route
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2008/chamber_backed_i_26_plan_would_demolish_burton_st_homes

I hope this post hasn't been too long. We do need green infrastructure spending, but we don't need expensive, unnecessary highways that destroy neighborhoods.

[Jim]

Here are photos of Asheville's East End from 1970, and the story behind them:
http://www.buncombecounty.org/GOVERNING/DEPTS/Library/Gallery/andreaClark/default.htm

[Sandy Maxey]

There is a painful irony to see these photographs, and to recognize that some of our leaders are perpetuating the same dynamic decades later. Here is a link to an editorial written by one of the residents of Burton St- the neighborhood that (once again) may see demolished homes:
http://www.mountainx.com/opinion/2007/lets_find_a_way_to_make_it_right/

Infuriating to have the Chamber voting the way they are.

Jim- I had no idea you posted here!

[Anon.]

Would you share your syllabus or reading selections for the course? I'd very much like to read along.