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3-37
<br />
<br />December 22, 1977
<br />
<br /> At a special Public Hearing meeting of the City Council held on December 22, 1977, there
<br />were present:
<br />
<br />Richard J. Davis, E. Saunders Early, Jr., Archie Elliott, Jr., James W. Holley,
<br />Edward L. Oast, Jr., R. T. Williams, City Manager, Gordon B. Tayloe, Jr., City
<br />Attorney.
<br />
<br />Absent: Jack P. Barnes, Robert W. Wentz, Jr.
<br />
<br />The meeting called to order by the Mayor.
<br />
<br />The following call for the meeting was presented:
<br />
<br /> "Please attend a called meeting of the City Council and the Portsmouth Redevelopment and
<br />Housing Authority on Thursday, December 22, 1977, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, for
<br />the purpose of holding a joint public hearing to consider an application for a proposed Sectio~
<br />108 Community Development Loan and an Urban Development Action Grant for the City of Portsmout~
<br />under, provisions of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1977.
<br />
<br />By order of the Mayor."
<br />
<br /> 77-466 - A joint Public Hearing between the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing
<br />Authority and the City Council to consider an application for a proposed Section 108 Community
<br />Development Loan and an Urban Development Action Grant was held, with th~ following present:
<br />
<br />Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority
<br />
<br />Herbert K. Bangel, Chairman, Dr. E. A. Barham, Jr., J. Robert Gray,
<br />George Minor, Jr., D. Barton Frye, Jr., Executive Director.
<br />
<br />Mayor Davis opened the meeting with the following remarks:
<br />
<br /> "As each of you know, this joint hearing between City Council and the Board of Com-
<br />missioners of the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been called for the pur-
<br />pose of providing interested individuals the opportunity to express their views regarding two
<br />important proposals which are being presented for our consideration this evening. I am re-
<br />ferring to the submission of an application for Federal Assistance under Section 119, Title I
<br />of the Housing and Community Development Act'of 1977 - commonly called the Urban Development
<br />Action Grant Program and an application under Section 108 of the same title for a Federal
<br />loan to assit in accelerating the development of a portion of the Southside community.
<br />
<br /> In accordance with established practice at previous hearings of this nature, we have
<br />asked everyone who wishes to speak to write his or her name and address on the cards which
<br />have been provided and to send them up to us in order to expedite this hearing. When your
<br />name is called, it would be appreciated if you would utilize the microphone here at the front
<br />so that everyone in the room can hear.
<br />
<br /> After I have made my opening remarks, I will ask Mr. Herbert Bangel, Chairman of the
<br />Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority,, for his comments on the two proposals before
<br />us this evening. Following Mr. Bangel's remarks, Mr. Bart Frye, Executive Director of the
<br />Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and City Manager Robert Williams will describe
<br />each proposal in detail.
<br />
<br /> The matters which are being discussed tonight represent two definite courses of action
<br />which will greatly assist in effectuating the realization of two of the six major goals which
<br />my colleagues on City Council and I continue to espousefor our City ... The reclamation of
<br />Portsmouth's Elizabeth River waterfront in its highest and best use for all of Portsmouth's
<br />citizenry and the comprehensive revitalization of the deteriorated Southside portion of our
<br />City.
<br />
<br /> These proposals are also very clearly in keeping with a primary local objective of
<br />maximizing the utilization of all available resources, both from Within and without the city,
<br />both public and private, in order to palce Portsmouth on a sound financial basis which will
<br />permit the delivery of the highest possible level and quality of services to all of its
<br />citizens. To this end as well, both proposed applications address areas the utmost importance
<br />and concern to our City's aggressive efforts to alleviate conditions of social, physical and
<br />economic deterioration.
<br />
<br /> The development of middle and upper-income housing on the waterfront will provide a
<br />much-needed balance to the City's housing prgg~rams, stimulate the upgrading and expansion of
<br />the downtown central business district, and lnisure the development of additional commercial
<br />and retail facilities on the waterfront itself!. The creation of a significant number of perma
<br />job opportunities through the expansion and development of commercial facilities will reduce
<br />Portsmouth's unemployment rate. The generatio~ of increased revenue to the City as a result
<br />of these developments will assist in assuring ithe much-needed services and improvements can
<br />be provided on a continued basis ~o Portsmouthi residents, particularly those low and moderate-
<br />income persons who can least afford to pay for! them.
<br />
<br />The acceleration of redevelopment activilties in the proposed Southside IV Project
<br />immediately behind the abandoned United States Coast GUard Base, which the City will acquire
<br />in the near future, will bring about the realization of the economic potential of this area
<br />in a much shorter period of time than would otherwise be possible, because of the limited
<br />amount of community development funds availabl~ for this purpose. The ensuing effects of
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