Mennonite Central Committee News Service
(9)
August 17, 1973
ATLANTA POOR FEEL HOUSING SQUEEZE CHURCHES
SEEK AN ANSWER
Atlanta, GA--What can a poor man do?
Not much when it comes to providing adequate housing for his
family in the city. Thirty Atlanta churches and nonprofit groups
have seen how city people on low or fixed incomes are forced
to spend higher and higher proportions of their incomes on housing.
The group, known as Interfaith, Inc., and including Mennonite
House--the Atlanta Mennonite Central Committee voluntary service
unit--have banded together to help meet the critical need for
low and moderate-income housing in metropolitan Atlanta.
The members of Interfaith, Inc., a nonprofit
housing corporation, firmly believe that meeting the human and
social needs of the Atlanta community is a vital part of the
church's mission and responsibility. But interpreting the needs
of low and moderate-income families to the wider community is
not always easy.
"The public is not excited about
low-income housing," explained Richard Koontz, an MCC volunteer
working as an administrative assistant for Interfaith. "They
say such projects concentrate too many low-income people into
too small an area."
Interfaith is trying to avoid this problem
at McLendon Gardens, a low and moderate-income apartment complex
the corporation is developing.
"We're clustering 90 three and four-bedroom
apartments in 12 and a half acres," Koontz said. "We
haven't increased the zoning density. By clustering we've made
more open space than if single or duplex homes had been built."
Another community fear is that too many
blacks in the project will cause white flight.
"We hope to maintain a 50-50 racial
balance. We're exploring the legal problems that are involved
if we select applicants partially on the basis of race,"
Koontz said.
"Initially all the apartments will
be rentals. After three years the tenants' organization has the
option to set up the cluster units as condominiums," Koontz
continued. McLendon Gardens will also repre- sent an economic
mix. Moderate-income residents will be expected to pay market
price rents. Low-income residents will pay 25 percent of their
annual income. The Federal Government will supplement low-income
payments.
Interfaith realizes that quality housing
involves more than the construction of living units. Vernon King,
MCC unit leader, serves as co-chairman of the Interfaith Social
Services Committee. Task forces are working to establish a job-skill
bank, cooperative buying or dis- count buying opportunities,
and day care services for McLendon Garden residents.
"We hope to have management personnel
with skills in counseling, too," Koontz said.
The first McLendon Garden units will
be ready this fall. applications from low-income families are
high.
Gayle Gerber Koontz, Information Services
dz17august1973
Preliminary