THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, November 15, 1995           TAG: 9511150202
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   38 lines

COUNCILMAN RETHINKS HIS HARSH CRITICISMS OF PUBLIC HOUSING

The work of the public housing task force already has resulted in one change, says City Councilman Herbert M. Collins Sr.

That's his own attitude toward Norfolk's public housing and its residents.

``I have learned that a large percentage of the people in public housing want to better themselves,'' he said. ``But they're in a maze and they don't know how to get out.''

In September 1994, Collins described public-housing residents as ``the most underemployed, the most undereducated, the most underchurched, they are the most underdisciplined people in our society.''

Collins now says his criticisms should have been softer.

``Some of the same characteristics are still there,'' he said. ``But I learned a lot about the folks living there. Most of them are trying to help themselves, but they've been warehoused so long, they don't know how. There's so much hopelessness.''

But Collins said he has a different opinion about the source of much of the crime in public housing - that most of it comes from outside the neighborhoods, not from residents. In that, he now agrees with tenant leaders, Police Chief Melvin High and housing authority officials.

He's also impressed with the physical conditions of Norfolk's public housing, rating it ``an 8 or a 9 on the scale of 10.''

Part of his new attitude, Collins said, came from touring public housing in other cities across the country. ``Cleveland, Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New Orleans, Austin, Washington . . . As far as the places I've been, we're second to none.'' by CNB