THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9406210138
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mike Knepler
DATELINE: 940623 LENGTH: Medium
Only six cities will be chosen.
{REST} Does Norfolk have a chance?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will not decide until late this year. But here's a possible omen:
HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros says, so far, he likes what he's seen of Norfolk's renewal efforts.
Cisneros made the remark during a press conference June 6 at Hampton University, where he had just spoken to about 4,500 black ministers and other church leaders.
``We had a very good briefing from Norfolk some weeks ago,'' he said. ``They did a video presentation of the city's economic development prospects, housing programs and so forth. Very impressive.''
Cisneros said he plans to tour Norfolk this fall as part of HUD's review of empowerment zone applications. His visit will coincide with another speech at Hampton University.
He last visited Norfolk several years ago when he still was mayor of San Antonio, Texas.
Meanwhile, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority is preparing its empowerment zone application, due June 30.
Cisneros also commented on several other Norfolk concerns:
A loan for MacArthur Center. Norfolk has applied for nearly $33 million to help build a Nordstrom store in the proposed downtown shopping mall. City leaders and a HUD official in Richmond say Norfolk has a great shot at the money.
Said Cisneros: ``Oh, I wouldn't call it fairly easy, but I would say it is a program that is vastly undertapped. A few communities really have been sophisticated enough in their community development strategies to identify these funds and act upon them, and that we are looking to fund communities that have solid ideas.''
Public housing rent waivers. Norfolk wants HUD help in encouraging tenants to work.
Now, tenants often complain they are discouraged from working because their rents go up after they get jobs or pay raises.
Norfolk already has set up its own experiment, a rent cap for working residents of Diggs Town. However, the city wanted HUD to reimburse the loss in rents, but HUD denied the application.
Cisneros said HUD cannot legally reimburse Norfolk until Congress changes public housing laws.
``If the law passes, I'm sure we'll work something out with them,'' he said. ``I don't know the specifics of that case. What experience have they had? I'd like to know more about that.
``Norfolk. Who is the head there?''
Crusading for elderly. Donna Smith stood out among the 750 participants in a June 11 anti-crime march led by Bishop L.E. Willis Jr.
Many placards, buttons and T-shirts carried messages about making inner-city neighborhood safe places to raise children.
But Smith's message was this: that we need to pay equal attention to elder abuse.
``There is a connection,'' said Smith, an elder abuse specialist for the SEVAMP senior-citizen program. ``A lot of times, the elderly are victims.''
Robberies. Flimflams. Assaults.
Neighborhoods need to be safe places for retirement, too.
by CNB