City Council

'/*-tu/@ t/,r,|tu" DEC 16 1969 /"".#ys'/6 Decernber 18, L969 TO: Mayor and City C I FROM: Councilrnan Sturrn SUBJECT: Urban Renewal Prog ss in Medical Center and JFK Areas On two occasions l,veek during the l of Decernber ?th to 13th of this year I drove over every street throd ghout that part of the east side of Oklahorna City that is now affected ily Urban Renewal projects narnely the Medical Center and John F. Kennedjr project areas. I rode through these areas pffing particular attention to that part of the Medical Center project that lips south.of Eighth Street and specifically to all of the John F. Kennedy project site. Let me relate to you a few the disgusting and revolting conditions that rnet rrry eyes. First, there appears to be , rally hundreds of shells of hornes standing vacant. I understand that ese have been acquired in advance of their predicted schedule by the Ur Renewal Authority; however, these buildings have not been dernolished r removed nor have the sites been cleared in preparation for new construc . These vacant buildings and ept areas are attractive nuisances and can only be conducive to va rn, crirne, and an open invitation to arson. The weeds are tall and la areas littered; the building windows are rnostly broken and shutters rip d off, and further the doors are ajar or torn off. The very presence of ch conditions can only destroy any incentive for the people who will re in in the area to properly rnaintain their hornes. There rnust be dozens of h of ernpty corrrrnercial buildings standing vacant in varying states of disrepair and rot. These, too, have been acquired by Urban Renewal rity but have not been dernolished and hauled away. ll Mayor and Council Decernber I8, 1969 Page 2 Block after block after block ]of these unoccupied, hollow and ghostly structures are in the deplora,{ble conditions described above -- abandoned to the ravages of tirne, w{ather, vandals and arsonists. And I rnust add that there are several proflerties outside of the project areas, particularly netr the west side of th$ Medical Center project area that have been abandoned, probably in part du{ to the influence of the adjacent project conditions. . It boils down to this; if our pJ.""rrt ord.inances are not effective in causing the present owners either to renovate and take care of these properties or rerrrove sarne -- we shpuld enact rnore rneaningful ordinances and require those charged with enforbernent or responsibility to take irnrnediate actions. To rne it appears that the ac sition of properties by the Urban Renewal Authority has been on a sca red unplanned basis throughout the vast Medical Center and John tr'. dy project areas. It further seerns to rne that in aknost every instance, blocks have not been acquired or cleared before rnoving on to other ar s. It has corne to rny attention t the Urban Renewal Authority has not used the tlright of erninent dornainrr any instance. 'Without having this power, the Urban Renewal Authority destroy its own effectiveness. I have also been told that not one s le piece of property in the Medical Center nor the John F. Kennedy proj ct areas has been rnade available for redeveloprnent either to the Public sing Authority or to private developers and industries. Surely not all of the people w are living or forrnerly lived in these areas want to be rernoved frorn it. y of thern rnust need low cost or public housing. It is true, I believe, that c housing projects are approved within these areas but the land has yet been rnade available. I firrnly believe that this Coun]cil should take positive steps to assist in the irnrnediate solution to rnany of fn"s. related problerns by: l A. Urging the irnrned ia[e dernolition of existing buildings scheduled for sarne and cornplBting the site preparations for redeveloprnent. B. Establishing a poli not to exceed 60 to 90 days to dernolish, relTlove or renova future acguisitions. Mayor and City Council Decernber 18, 1969 Page 3 C. Requesting tJre U n Renewal Authority to use the power of erninent dornain to rk out a systernatic acquisition prograrn as opposed to a sc ttered I'helter- skeltert' progran-r. D. Making available the Public Housing Authority the land for the three rnulti- welling projects already approved. E. Making available | ,n" Frb1ic Housing Authority or private industry lots for $ingle farnily developrnent. l'. Giving the Public sing Authority the green light in these project areas; and, G. Asking Urban wal Authority and the Public Housing Authority in cooper on with school officials to present a workable solution to the lic housing problern in aII areas of Oklahoma City where su projects will be practical. Tirnd is of the essence and I eve a two and one-half year wait has been far too long to take positi action. 'We rnust act now. %^tr ",/c4-# George N. Sturrn .,.,. i i CITY of OKtAHOnilA CITY I o*,.o,o^^A c,Ty, 73,02 MUNICIPAT BUILDING 2OO NORTH WALKER December 18, 1969 Mayor JAMES H. NORICK ;TO: 0klahonra City Urban Renewal- Authority Oklahoina City }iousi-ng Authority and Councilmen other agencies affc,cted by Pub1ic }icusing GEORGE N. STURM PATIENCE LATTING As Clerir of the City Council-, I have been directed to NELSON E. KETLER fonsard the foi-1-owing request for action to each of BILL H. BISHOP you: JOHN M. SMITH BEN FRANKLIN Mr. Kell-er: I woul-d like to offer a Resolution that A. L. DOWELL, O.D. we send to the Llrban Renewal- Authority and Housing ROWE COOK Authori.ty and other autho::ities rnenticneC b), I'{r.SttJrsi that this Council- goes o;1 reeord as requesting that irlrnediate acti.on be taken on the three public housing City Manager projects in the John F. Kennedy Urban Renewal Area that ROBERT H. OLDLAND are approved that are being delayed and that we urge thern do e.zeryttiing possible those sites CITY CLERK to to clear E. RAY LONG within the next sixty days and turn them to the Housing Authori-ty foq construction of public housing. Motion was seconded by I'1r, Bishop and read and adopted by the folloviing rol-l- calb- vote: Ayesrlr1rs. Latting ancl llessrs. Sturiii, Ke11-er, Bishop, Smith, Franklin, Dowel-1 and Cook. The above is quoted verbatim frorn the official counci-l minutes of the December: 16th meeting. .. 1 December 18, L969 Page 2 Councilman Stunn rnade a tatement on Urban Renewal progress which preceded his motion. I understand a copy of this statement is being forwarded to each of yorl by l"h:. Robert H. I-dLand, City Manager. Should you have a questi n on this matter or if I can be of assistance in ny !yay, please l-et me know. Very truly yollrs, L , ir erlc ERL:paur , , o c o a. m. v . rhe following ro11 call vote: Ayes IuIessrs. Bishop, Smith, Frankli", ' Dorvell and Cook. Noes, Mrs. LaEti and Messrs. Sturm and Keller >t Mr. Scu submitted statement urglng that the land for three approved public housing sites within the John F. I(ennedy Urban Renevral Area be uiade available for the consEruction of housing projects; tl-rat a policy be establ-ished whereby sEructures would be removed within sixty to ninety ys from property aequired by the Urban Renerval Authority; that the rban Renerval Authority be requested to use the power of eminenE domain l to aequire property r+iChin a selected area rather on a scattered basis; +nd thaL the Urban Renewal- Authority and the Housing Authority, in cooperaE {on rvith other affected agencies be requested to give the Council a wo tkable solution to publ-ic housing in all areas of OkLahoma CiEy. Dr. Oow(L1 asked that Mr. Sturmfs remarks be transcribed and forrvarded to all agiencies affected byJE public housing. I Mr. Stu{m asked that he be allowed to draft his statement in final form prior {o iEs transmittal to sueh affected agencies. i Mr. KeL er - I ruould l-ike to offer a Resolution that v,re send to the Urban Renewal thority and Housing Authority and other authorities rirentioned by Mr. turm that this Councit goes on record as requesting.Ehat immediat action be taken on the three public housing projects in the John F. Ke edy Urban Renevral Area that are approved that are being delayed a that we urge them to doleverything i possible to clear Ehose sites vrithi the next sixty days .r,A turn them I I to Ehe Housing Authority for constr tion of public housing.l Motion was 1 seconded. by Mr. Bishop and read and G dopted by the followinj ro11 call vote: Ayes, I'Irs. Latting and Messrsf sturm, Ketler, Bishop, Smith, a