Minutes 06/28/1940 - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 2Sth, At a meeting of the City Council~ held at 7:00 ~ .k., on Friday, June 2etch, the following were preeent~. JoD~u P. Leigh, Leslie T. Fox~ George L. Grimes, James N. Hows. rd~ Hutchins, Frank Do La~ence~ C. E. Warren~ H. Earl Weiseman, Pestle J. Wilson and Chas. F. H~roer~ City Manager. Motion of Mr. Fox that notice of this meetint be weaved, The City Manager presented the followi~ letter from Mr. was adopted. Nathan Straus: "I D~ve been informed by ~. Winston, Director of Region III, that a low-rent housing project to meet the urgent needs of the exp~nding defense program in the vioinity of Portsmouth, Virginia, is being contemplated by the City Council. It is my understanding that it is the wish of the City Council that such project should be undertaken and carried out by the F~using Authority o~ the City of Portsmouth with the full cooperation of ~he ~ity of Ports~ mouth~ provided that assurence can be given that the United States Housing Authority %~ll not go into Portsmouth and undertake directly a similar or supplementary housing program, As you u~oubtedly realize, the rapidly expanding defense program~f t~hie Nation requires that adequate housing must be provided for quickly_and in a manner appropriate to the various defense activities. To this end the United States Housing Authority is lending all possible assistance and urges the full cooperation of local housing authorities in expedit- ing the construction of housing projects required in connection with these defense activities We feel that the most successful manner in which the United States Housing Authority can as - sist in providing such defense housing is thmough local housing authorities %~.ich are crop'fly and adequately equipped to operate expeditiously. May we asstu~e you tPmt~ if the Housing Authority of the City of Portsmouth undertakes s~d expeditiously carries out within its area of operation a program of low-rent housing with special consideration to the housing needs incident to thee otivities in connec- tion %Ath the defense program in such ames, the United Sta~es F~using Authority will lend ev- ery possible assistance and cooperation to the Housing Authority of the City of Portsmouth and will not undertake directly any additional or supplementary housing progrs~ within tD~ area of operation of said Au~ority. ~ay '! express my ~opreciation for your interest both in improving the hous- ing conditions in the City of Portsmouth ~ud in lending immediate assistance in alleviating conditions brought about ~- the expanding defense program in your vicinity, We shall be glad to cooperate wi~h you in ev cry way ~ud to lend all possible assistance. Faithfully yours~ (Signed) Nathan A~m~Luistrator." Privilege of the floor was granted anyone present who was interested. Mr. McCarty, Mr. Byers, C. T. Roberts and ReV. O. C. Jones spoke in favor of the proposition. The City Manager recommended theft a board of five be appointed to handle matter and that the City ask Er. Straus, Administrator, to add to the third paragraph of his letter, the words~ ed, and by the "Either in the City or in the County adjacent to the City." Motion of Mr. Hutchins to adopt the City ~nager~s recommendation, following vote: ~as adoot. Ayes - Leigh~ Fox, Grime~ Howard~ Weiseman~ Wilson Nays None Hutchins, La~ence, Warren~ ~e Chairman appointed the following on ssdd Board: George T. McLean Norman R. Hamilton George O. Diggs Clyde W. Cooper M.L. McCarty On motion adjourned. City Clerk. Appro ved~ / ~ g/ President