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PRESENTATION: <br />GENE ARRINGTON <br />HOUSING <br />AUTHORITY <br /> <br />PRESENTATION: <br />AL GARRETT <br />CHARLOTTESVILLE <br />DEVELOPMENT <br />GROUP ANNUAL <br />REPORT <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT: <br />SCHOOL GROUNDS <br />MAINTENANCE <br /> <br /> sort of supplemental heating source such as kerosene space heaters. <br /> <br /> The committee was to consider Council's concerns and return at the <br /> <br /> May 16th meeting. <br /> <br /> Mr. Arrington, Director of the Redevelopment and Housing Authority, <br /> gave a brief history of his department. The Redevelopment and Housing <br /> Authority was recommended by Council and approved by public referendum in <br /> 1954, after which the commissioners were appointed by the mayor. A master <br /> plan was drawn up for the City and from 1954 to 1958 eight areas were <br /> designated as deteriorating or deteriorated. Vinegar Hill was chosen as <br /> the City's first urban renewal area which brought about the need for 126 <br /> housing units in Westhaven. <br /> <br /> Mr. Arrington presented a slide show of Vinegar Hill before and after <br /> and the past and present condition of Westhaven. The Garrett Street Urban <br /> Renewal Project was the City's second urban renewal area. <br /> <br /> The City presently operates 371 housing units and receives rental <br /> payments of $596,-000 per year. The Housing Authority operates on a budget <br /> of $923,000 per year. Taxes are not paid by the Authority, but almost <br /> $200,000 in lieu of taxes is paid. The difference between rents and expendi- <br /> tures is made up by HUD. <br /> <br /> The present Community Development Block Grants have helped with the <br /> following housing programs: 1) rehabilitating substandard housing with <br /> the aid of CHIP, 2) the City buys substandard houses, fixes them up and <br /> sells them for home ownership, 3) purchased idle lots and found builders <br /> and leased the lots back to them, 4) provides low interest loans, and S) <br /> established the Central City Loan Program. <br /> <br /> Mr. Garrett present'ed a written annual report to Council and thanked <br /> them for their cooperation. <br /> <br /> Dr. Gunter asked Mr. Garrett about the status of the old Safeway <br />building on Main Street and Mr. Garrett re )onded that he did not think the <br />owners knew what they were going to do, bu that another grocery store was <br />not being considered. <br /> <br /> Mr. Conover thanked Mr. Garrett and hi committee for their work in the <br />community. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that he felt the committee had a positive attitude <br />toward the community and~also thanked him or their work. <br /> <br /> Mr. Eugene German, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, <br />summarized the proposed school grounds maintenance program. He said the <br />money would employ five people, two working at the high school and three <br />dispatched around the various schools. Their duties would include mowing, <br />litter collection, and working on playground facilities. <br /> <br /> Mr. German presented slides showing erosion on slopes, fencing that <br />needed clearing of grass, broken or missing playground equipment, potentially <br />unsafe materials on school grounds, etc. He stressed that only mowing would <br />be accomplished with the five men, that no trim work would be done. He <br />said th'at it would be a big improvement in the 10ng run and that the new high <br />school athletic field would need work from the beginning to keep it in good <br />shape. <br /> <br />Mr. Conover asked if the Parks and Recreation Department would have <br />coordination responsibility for use of the facility and Mr. German responded <br /> <br />20'5 <br /> <br /> <br />