Statement by the Greensboro City Council on the Hope VI Revitalization Plan 

HOPE VI is one of the largest and most significant redevelopment projects that has ever been undertaken in Greensboro. This project represents a $76 million investment in the community. A portion of the funds comes from HUD, GHA and the City of Greensboro; however, most of the funding comes from private investment.

The HOPE VI project will affect property and lives in a very real way. In order to accomplish the revitalization, property will be bought and sold and people will have to move. We recognize the tremendous impact on families and individuals who will have to leave their homes. We are committed to making sure that everything possible is done to make the transition as smooth as possible and to make certain that people have an opportunity to voice their concerns.

We have heard three major areas of community concern that we would like to address:

• Involvement of Neighborhood Residents
• Relocation of Residents
• Economic Opportunities for Minorities and Area Residents

Involvement of Neighborhood Residents

We believe that residents have been actively involved from the start of the project. The following are examples:

• A team of Morningside Homes residents went door-to-door to survey the community’s needs and to invite residents to participate in planning.
• Hundreds of neighborhood residents participated in a special Charette (public meeting) on June 2-4, 1997. These residents created the plan that became the successful HOPE VI application.
• Residents hold four of the nine seats on the HOPE VI Steering Committee, which provides overall direction to the revitalization effort.
• Morningside Homes residents are currently holding small group meetings to increase the understanding of and involvement in the project.
• Residents from the surrounding neighborhood are currently going door-to-door providing neighbors a one-on-one contact for questions and concerns they might have.

We are going to make sure that there is an ongoing effort to involve neighborhood residents throughout the process.

Relocation of Residents

All 380 families in Morningside Homes must move; approximately 200 families in the Lincoln Grove neighborhood must move. However, the neighborhood plan is designed to allow as many of the relocating families who choose to return to do so. This will be accomplished by placing 300 public housing units and 269 affordable housing units in the HOPE VI neighborhood. An additional 70 public housing units and 80 Section 8 vouchers will be made available in the Greensboro community. The following are points about relocation:

• The Hope VI neighborhood is being designed as a mixed-income neighborhood; however, the neighborhood will not be changed from working class to middle class.
• Relocated residents will be given top priority for the new and renovated units in the neighborhood.
• In addition to receiving assistance with their actual move, public housing residents who lived in Morningside Homes as of 1/1/99 will have an opportunity to participate in a self-sufficiency program designed to assist residents in getting on their feet and increasing earnings capacity.

Economic Opportunities for Minorities and Area Residents

There is an anticipated $55 million of contracts in construction-related work. The majority of these contracts have not yet been determined.

The City is already working with the project team to ensure strong levels of African American participation. Efforts are also underway to enable residents of the community and area businesses to obtain meaningful work on this massive effort.

We are supportive of these efforts and will monitor the progress.

Summary

We believe the neighborhood plan and the process in place will ensure that:

• The process will be open and responsive;
• Residents will have choices of decent housing at comparable costs;
• All families and individuals who are relocated as a result of the project will get first priority for all new or renovated housing units;
• A proactive plan is implemented to provide every opportunity for participation by African American, other minority and neighborhood residents in all phases of contracting for the work on the project.