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Show A6 ROCKY MOUNTAIN REVIEW, AugiM 12, 1963 Pros And Cons Of Urban Renewal Wallace Says Continued from Page 1 examples at projects, newal a separate public agency, a local housing authority, or a department of a city government. Federal assistance is available, but not mandatory, to help the community carry out its plans when local resources alone are not adequate to do the Job. To qualify for Federal assistance to an urban renewal project, a community must adopt, and have certified by the Administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, a Workable Program for Community Improvement, in which it commits itself to the attainment of certain objectives. Through the requirement at a Workable Program for Community Improvement, urban renewal projects are tied to a broad and systematic effort toeliminate blight and prevent Its recurrence through 1) codes and ordinances, (2) a comprehensive community plan, (3) neighborhood analyses, (4) administrative organization, (5) financing the program, (61 housing for displaced families, and (7) citisen participation. asRenewal with Federal Urban sistance began in 1949, but Utah has failed to adopt enabling legislation until 1965, 16 years after the program began. We were among the last 3 of the 50 states to adopt such legislation, and even now our cities are not permitted to undertake renewal until a referendum has been passed by the voters of the city or county. This Is a special requirement adopted by only a tew of the State legislatures in passing such legislation. As a result of mis requirement, Salt Lake City and Ogden are the only 2 cities In the United States with more than 60,000 population which, at this moment, cannot undertake an Urban Renewal program. Governor Rampton, in his inaugural address, made an observation which should be taken very seriously. He said, ' Utah, like it or not, has been thrust ' surInto the midst of this sink vive or perish, competitive world.' The said fact is that Utah is not now com- in renewing cities and eliminating feting Other cities across the country are working to Improve themselves as if their lives depended on it, which it does, and these are the cities which are sought out by new Industry. Our cities are being passed by. We can't afford to let this continue. We must begin work on renewal now, even though It is very late You may ask the question, "What about all this controversy surrounding Urban Renewal? We hear it may endanger some of our rights." Let's look at some of the specific criticisms that have been leveled at the program. Here are five; fl) Extends use of eminent domain, endangering the right to own property. (2) It is Federally assisted, leading to Federal control, such as civil rights, which aggravates the race problem, and Involves Weaucratlc red tape and possible misappropriation of funds. (3) It is a foot in the door for public housing. (4) It aggravates the problem of housing lower Income groups. (5) It creates an artificial environment with a loss of the heterogeneous charm of the older neighborhoods It replaces. Before discussing each one of these criticisms specifically, let us look at the problem in general. As you analyte the problem of renewing urban areas, it is quickly apparent that there is no such thing as an easy solution. The present status of renewal in this country has evolved out of a great deal of study ' and experiments by the nations leading students of urban problems. The problem is how to go about renewing blighted, decaying areas of our cities when this is clearly not happening freely under normal ml estate market conditions, and at the same time use our traditional democratic processes It Is probable that if we were sufficiently clever, any one of us might have arrived at essentially the same program as has been developed To begin with, the key is 1, the use of Eminent Domain This is a democratic procedure long in use in the United States, and an integral part of our legal processes, and one of the least abused Since it involves our Courts of Law, it offers the private citizen the same protection of his rights that he would receive in any Court trial It is obvious that there must be some means of forcing the improvement of property held by an owner who for one reason or another is not sympathetic with the wishes of the community that his property be renewed The important point here is that we accept the idea that eliminating blight and renewing worn out areas is a legitimate community responsibility, and that our general welfare is affected After 15 years of experience with renewal in the United States, Courts have generally held that renewal is equally as important to a community as providing parks, play grounds, highways, and most other purposes for which Eminent Domain has been widely used historically The second criticism, that of Federal assistance leading to Federal control, has not been borne out m the 16 years of Federal renewal experience Projects which have been cnticiied in the national press and by Congress were generally poorly planned by the local agency The main problem appears to have been misuse cf the program by local bureaucrats and politicians Attesting to the remarkably dean re- -, cord of Federal involvement, Texas Albert Thomas, whose Congressman subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations has reviewed the operation of the program since its inception, not long ago said; ' It has been fantastic to me, the amount of money and the amount of different pieces of property involved Sixty to thousand pieces of property slzfy-fi- v have been bought I have not heard of any public scandal " Perhaps the most Important aspect of tbs Federal assistance is that it Brockbank Says need not be accepted if the local community objects and is willing to pay its own way There are many excellent assisted reas there also are of Federal aid Unforto talk more about the bad projects than the good, so that the average citizen has a somewhat distorted impression of the success of Urban Renewal There has, of course, been gobd press given to the successes, among the best of which was an extensive article in Time magazine on Nov 6, 1964, which gives a comprehensive report on the status of renewal in most of our larger cities Number 3, the argument that Urban Renewal is simply a foot in the door for Federal housing, stems from the fact that those persons being moved to make way for a renewal project must be located in substantial, safe, and sanitary housing that they can afford In the case of lower Income groups, there is often very little such housing available. The possibility of public housing riding in on the back of renewal in since the Utah, however, is law recently passed by the Legislature specifically prohibits public housing, and Congress passed an amendment last projects involving tunately, people are inclined year providing that a rental subsidy be made available to relocated persons In the event adequate housing is not obtainable at a price they can afford The granting of this subsidy completely satisfies the Federal requirements so that the program can proceed The argument, 4, that Urban Renewal aggravates the housing problem for lower income groups has been made chiefly by Martin Anderson in his recent book called, "The Federal Bulldozer" which has been widely reprinted and excerpted in such magazines as Reader's Digest." Mr. Anderson uses statistics in trying to housing is prove that more low-co- st removed from the market each year by Urban Renewal than Is replaced by private Industry, but his solution is to argue for more public housing rather than Urban Renewal as a solution, which would not be acceptable to very many Utahns. Also, the question of providing low cost bousing through private Industry must be solved by private industry, and it is not going to be solved by eliminating the Urban Renewal program. A footnote to the furor stirred up by Anderson's book Is that a number of responsible periodicals such as Fortune magazine and "Action, Inc., and scholars Including the Director of the Joint Center for Urban Studies of Harvard and M.I.T., which first published the book, have been highly critical of the quality of the scholarship reflected in "The Federal Bulldozer." The American Council to Improve our Neighborhoods (ACTION) recently stated that the book lifts quotations out of context, uses outdated or Incomplete statistics, and twists other data. In short, the author appears to have esed every possible device to build a case tor his preconceived ideas clearly the reverse of good scholarship and he has conveniently Ignored readily available data that shows him wrong." The 5 criticism that Urban Renewal creates an artificial environment has been set forth mainly by Jane Jacobs in a book entitled The Death and Life of Great American Cities" This is a somewhat specious argument in that the plans for renewal projects are made for people, and people can plan any kind of environment they desire Consequently, If a heterogeneous environment was considered desirable by the local community, such environment can easily be created Again it should be emphasized that the dgsign of an Urban Renewal project is entirely In the hands of the local community. Perhaps the most significant recent change in orientation of the renewal program Is the emphasis on down town renewal, and this is where we believe Salt Lake City can now profit most substantially. In talking about downtown renewal, an article in "Harpers Magazine" for February, 1965, stated, "Perhaps the most far reaching in its effect has been the decision to permit the use of Federal funds to improve commercial and Industrial areas The resulting program of downtown renewal has had some exciting successes -- among them Baltimore's Charles Center, Constitution Plaza in Hartford, the new sports arena with the movable roof in Pittsburgh, Norfolk's Gateway Project, and Capitol Mall in Sacramento The Federal government aided in such projects in the hope that they would help lure some of the city's affluent residents back from the suburbs This has indeed come to pass " It is dear that Urban Renewal is by no means a panacea an answer to all our problems - and that there are still kinks in the Urban Renewal program However, it is a very valuable tool as it now stands, to assist the community in renewine its worn-oareas, and the citizens of Salt lake City should have sufficient confidence in their own ability to use a tool such as this wisely and effectively in improving the community ut SW Komul-- l set the Awestem round-u- p theme for the Aurust meetthe Sugar House Bus ing mess and Professional Womans Club that was held Wednesday, home of August Mrs W 11, at the E Peel- 2766 Wren Poad er, prize f r the best Wecostume enrouragKl members to dress up in their best western attire A pot lurk sujiper rounded out the evening The meeting was a fund under the raising affair direction of the membership commit'ee, with Mrs Marguerite Lowe as chairman The special guest that evening was Mrs Karen Hocre, sponsored by the dub to Girls Stae ths summer 4 stern O' Continued from Page 1 6 ) The NAREB statement of policy urban clearly opposes renewal autaoruations 7 ) Authorization could result in abuses of eminent domain for private benefits 8 ) Authorization would abdicate local control to public ownership advocates at the federal level In discussing these various reasons, the real estate board strongly urges that the city of Salt Lake and Salt Lake County adequately and deligently enforce the existing health zoning and planning laws rather than depend upon urban renewal the Salt Lake City Real Secondly, Estate Board has diligently supported the civic auditoroum project and the bond issue which was approved by the people for $17 million. They further support the advantage to the Salt Lake City of the L D S Church leasing to the Civic Auditorium for $1 a year approximately 31 6 million worth of property in this area in return for the exclusive use of the auditorium for a few days. The real estate board, on other occasions. has been active in trying to secure urban renewal legislation In this state; but a statement was made in the July 29, 1965, issue of the Rocky Mountain Review as follows, The alarm appears doubly silly since Urban Renewal in Utah has been sponsored for one specific purpose only to gain federal help in constructing the Civic Center Auditorium Complex." The real estate board feels that this statement Is conclusive evidence that the urban renewal proposal is not in accordance with the original concpet of jrtuu rmewal. This was for the purpose of Eradicating slums and improving the living conditions of families in the low Income groups. Many of the families live in slum housing in small pocket areas of Salt Lake City which areas should be taken care of und-- r t? :. ting health, safety, and sanitation laws. Fourth, we believe that slum clearance has been moving forward at a very rapid rate Irrespective of urban renewal because of the great urge to remodel housing that is economically and physically sound, and because of the fact that many of the new highways have gone through areas where housing was not economically and physically sound and have removed the poor housing from the Inventory. Fifth, we again point to the Rocky Mountain Review article of July 29, and again state that the original purpose of urban renewal Is the Eradication of slums and not the rebuilding rf down- " town areas. "vY f Sixth, the National Association of Real Estate Boards has adopted a policy nationally which closely corresponds with the United States Chamber ofCommercei Computers Awful Smart, Wont Replace Students me University of Utahs are running three "brains times faster electronically. these days The "brains" are in the form of a new computer which has been installed in the Un- iversitys computer center. The former electronic magician, an IBM 7040, has been replaced by a virtual wizard, the IBM 7044. Joseph Price, manager of the programs and applies tions, said the 7044 operates three times faster than Its predecessor. His Illustration is that the 7040 could make 70,000 additions per second. 7044 whips off 250,000 every second with wind to spare. The acquisition of the 7044 means a lot to the University and the community served by it. It means more students can learn about computers, more research projects can be processed for professors and students and more time can be made available to private Industry. When the 7044 made its home here It placed the University among -the top 20 com-pet- er center r- hr the nation It also makes the general area more attractive to potential new industries, Mr. Price said. 7044 is no homely fellow d, It Is a expensive machine, only two years old. It's just about the newest thing in computers. Through grants from National Science Foundation, International Business Machines and research, the University is able to pay the monthly $23,000 rental fee. Director of the computer center Is Paul Tuan. There emare 25 full and part-tim- e ployees there, most of them students. The center was founded in 1958, primarily as a tool for research. The university was one of the first six In the nation to boast of a center with the method of letting one electronic brain blue-bloode- Seventh, the Salt Lake Real Estate Board feels that there could be abuses in the use of eminent domain where property Is taken from one private individual and sold to another, where the second person agrees to be willing to build upon the property In exact conformity with the plan as conceived by the city. Eighth, even though Salt Lake City agrees to keep the authority in the hands of elected officers of the city, still to some extent the city must comply with the federal laws governing urban renewal And even though the law as based In the state of Utah says that no public housing may be built under this law, one of the requirements of die urban renewal law Is that the city have a workable plan. few months ago Robert Weaver a book entitled, "The I rbui ComBusiness Week of net tier 17, 1964, quoted Mr Weaver as saying in his book, "We seek to recapture control of the use of land, most of hich the government has already given to the And again, "The sate and people" the federal government should intervere to transfer tax revenues from the more affluent areas to the less affluent ones". These statements the Salt Lake Peal Estate Buard considers to be very far reaching in their implication - they could mean the confiscati m of land, and that could mean th draining of taxes from one area to put th(m into another where the government feels they would rather spend the money This could mean another Boston Tea party This means that urban renewal could be an instrument in the hand- - of the federal gov rnment to reuv ve more of the rights of the people segment and give them to another ahirh policy could become very very damgerons In summing up the reas m hy the real estate board is concerned about urban renewal, it should be said that they Lrst feel that private enterprise is removing the worn out areas at this wrote plex" f country at a very rapid rate already ahus removing the need for urban reAnd secondly, that we do not newal wish to give away any nrre at our rights than we have already lest L Reduced fees now at the MATTERHORN SWIM SCHOOL Register Now For Aug. 12th Your small fry or grade school children can still have TEN semi -- private lessons until school starts. ng 1 AQUA -- Tots -- 2. Over 6 mji-KT- $14 00 $12.00 l yrs. Open plunge for 12 p m. to 6 p ra. daily Children 50? - Adults 75$ Inquire for inexpensive club membership Matterhorn Swimming School 2234 last 4700 toutti - Phan 277-417- 1 No More Scraping or Scouring! ANTIQUING i MASH EASY COOKWARE finished with DU PONT TEFLON WITH MARTIN SENOUR PROVINCIAL COLOR GLAZE MICK BOOM I10-SB0- BMP UR Itl hard HIto hM tl you m OmabW OLD CHESTS, cabinet, tablaa, chair become decorator pioee with easy to uae Provincial Color Glare. Don't even remove old paint, vamiah or atain. JUSTFAIHT ABU CM, (ft, CbAjrkunud-- fwlfo, foods oimply rmh out, without Aoikiuf or Try Wto ahuud acourinf ! Notku if at irks, whether or wot you im cook inf oilal eooMni MIRRO Aluminum, with Du Pout' paatai. Amah om tin inaid, and you 11 jmmt how TIm iiia. At PIATURIO ON TV tm tori m Mw QaaMy ato mmmtm mb mi mMm IAb Am UTAH'S BEST FISTIC EVENT IN YEARS! TITLEFIGHT 8:0 Aug. A BACK-T0-SCH00- talk to another via telephone As well as being a tool tor others, the computer center does research projects of its own. It Is a classroom. Projects deal primarily with computers and their perfection and use. Such things as designmachines ing are on the drawing board. The concept erf apicket computer is one of the major idea discussed in the center. Both Mr. Price and Mr. Tuan agree the computer is really a simple device. It does not replace human beings because it is not creative It is and can not think. confined solely to analysis and association. It does this enhances faster and thus mans creative possibilities. tow Number six in the group of seven rules for a workable plan is that the city have housing available fdf displaced families. We do not disagree that this is a fair and legitimate request; but on the other hand, we feel that under this item we may be forced into acceptance of public housing as a means of housing displaced families. Therefore, we feel that this is a very dangerous law to have to comply with. The Salt Lake Real Estate Board is greatly concerned about some of the basic policies governing housing which should be seriously considered by every citizen The Housing and Home Finance Agency, which agency supervises the urban renewal agency of the United States government, has as its administrator. Robert Weaver three days of fun and festivity, including an authentic a Hawaiian Luau on Friday evening, and programs and carnival each night followed KEEPING PACE -- - This childrens marching band was one of several musical marching groups that added a resplendent touch to the Holladay Eves Parade last Saturday. The parade p.m. Fairgrounds Grandstand Salt 18 G'H, framatar Crty- -t 2 12 9 GRIFFITH I TmWh G tt laaedt T,f. Mafktt Co1 I II S It 9 U Sa H WW-Nr- fp TOWES EVERYTHING YOU EVEN THE BRUSH AND AN INSTRUCTION BOOK IS IN THE KIT rairvtiaa NEED 0o X 4 9 iwwff Gfcxfc Marrav S?J )d erti TWELVE COLORS SIX RICH DEEP TOVt COLORS AND SIX DELICATE SOFT TINTS AND NOW SIX NEW RICH BEAUTIFUL WOOD S4i T7TT V 1 IINolIMI t ...... t'tW DAILY WOOVT . II t'wrtinf Tbrt4ay, WATCH 1 MOTH It t f UTAH . MOTOt IOOCI BUILDING SUPPLY 3025 Lmi 33rd So 466-S6- &2 light Tomi $4.95 Deep Toeei $5.93 W ood Toeei $6.45 |