THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 10, 1996 TAG: 9609100307
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 76 lines
The city took the first step toward a new image for its 11 public housing neighborhoods Monday by approving changes in admissions policies.
But it's a vision not shared by some residents.
The resolutions passed by the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority allow half of public housing vacancies to go to the educated and employed - or those who are working toward those goals. The action came following a public hearing at which at least a half-dozen current and former public housing residents spoke against the move.
Arlene Barber, a Diggs Town resident, said that implementing the plan ``would put thousands of women and children into the streets'' because of pending welfare reform. She said it was ``ludicrous. . . a total farce'' to expect that folks with higher incomes would want to move in. Most of the 4,000 units are occupied by single mothers with two or three children subsisting either on welfare or minimum-wage jobs.
The move is just ``another ploy to justify tearing down public housing,'' Barber said to the ``amens'' and applause of the 30 or so people attending the hearing.
But officials assured the crowd that they had no such intention.
``There is no plan, ulterior or otherwise, to demolish public housing,'' NRHA Chairman Doyle Hull said. ``The whole effort is to try to accommodate residents and the poor as well as the working poor. . . we're doing all we can do and will keep doing more.''
Lamont Brown, a former resident of Diggs Town, warned that if Congress repeals an amendment that limits the amount of rent housing authorities can charge, there will be a replay of ``gentrification'' of public housing neighborhoods. He cited Ghent among a number of other sections of the city that he said had been taken away from the African-American community.
``Redevelopment has a poor track record with African Americans,'' Brown said, charging that the city has ``two sets of laws - one for whites and one for blacks'' because, he said, police protection in public housing neighborhoods is inadequate and gives rise to a situation that provides an excuse to demolish public housing.
Yvonne Myles, who lives in Young Terrace, also turned thumbs down to the idea that folks with higher incomes would move into public housing.
``You're saying there's no way you're going to take (public housing), but if it's boarded up and no one moves in. . . history repeats itself,'' Myles said.
Ray Strutton, assistant executive director for the authority's housing operations, assured the citizens that adding local preferences to the existing federal guidelines for public housing ``does not eliminate anybody,'' based on income criteria. He said that the goal is to ``help existing and future residents. . . begin to have a culture of seeing your neighbors go to work, role models - you can get jobs and here is how you go about getting them.''
The changes also affect prospective renters for Section 8 housing - private units subsidized through a voucher system.
The lengthy waiting list for Section 8 housing must be updated because education and employment of prospective renters are not known.
Susan Agnew, 51, an Ocean View resident, complained to commissioners that she can't get on a list for subsidized (Section 8) housing because the list is so long. She said that her paycheck won't always stretch to cover rent of $375 a month, utilities and food.
``There's just no way to get ahead,'' Agnew said.
One of the two written comments received by the authority was from a person who is on the Section 8 waiting list. That resident was anxious to update his or her file. Because employment is now among the criteria for getting an apartment, this person's name could move higher on the list.
As for the impact of welfare reform on Norfolk's housing situation, Strutton said ``it is important to encourage those families to get a job'' because ``it's coming. It will be a devastating blow to those families if they're dropped from the rolls if they're unable to get a job.''
Other changes approved by the city include a $25 minimum rent charge, criminal history checks of family members 16 and older, $100 security deposit and school performance criteria.
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK PUBLIC HOUSING by CNB