The city of Norfolk showed the city of Richmond yesterday how it restores vigor to a slum-infested community.
Norfolk’s formula calls for leadership, courage, the co-operation of government and private forces, and public money.
Approximately 30 Richmond officials, business leaders and architects visited Norfolk to inspect the city’s vast urban renewal program, one of the largest in the nation.
Norfolk staged an impressive show. The visiting Richmonders toured the major projects, and were guests at a luncheon attended by most of Norfolk’s top public officials—including all councilmen—and business leaders.
New Housing Projects
On the tour, the Richmond group saw new housing projects rising from the ruins of slums; broad new highways, and foundations for bright new buildings. And they saw cranes biting old slum structures to pieces to make way for even more projects.
At the luncheon, the group was told that publicly financed urban renewal programs offer the only effective solution to the slum problem. Private enterprise cannot and will not provide the answer, Norfolk officials agreed.
The Norfolk program involves more than 400 acres, mostly in or near downtown, and is costing nearly 40 million dollars in public funds. Of this more than 25 million is being provided by the federal government, the remainder by the city.
The chief spokesman for Norfolk was Charles L. Kaufmann, chairman of the city’s redevelopment and housing authority. He addressed the Richmond group before the tour, and at the luncheon.
Called Only Solution
Kaufmann insisted urban renewal was the only way cities could cope with slum problems. These programs are bound to meet resistance, and to assure their success “citizens must assume the leadership role,” he said.
Much of the original opposition to Norfolk’s projects has faded, and some opponents have become active supporters of the program, he said.
Kaufmann said the program had the solid support of the city’s business and government leaders. All projects have been unanimously approved by Norfolk’s council.
Kaufmann also had a word about Richmond’s future:
“As certain as we are sitting here,” he said, “before too many moons have shone you will have a similar program in Richmond.”
Must Condemn Land
Norfolk Mayor Fred W. Duckworth said the power of eminent domain—the power to acquire property from an unwilling seller—is needed in the renewal of cities.
“There’s no other way,” he said, “and cities will need redevelopment, like it or not.”
All Norfolk speakers cited significant increases in real estate tax assessments that occurred with the redevelopment of slum areas.
“We are turning community liabilities into assets,” he said.
Yesterday’s trip was initiated by Irving May, a member of the Richmond planning commission. He thought the visit to Norfolk would convince Richmond of its own needs.
Richmond has one urban renewal project underway, another proposed. Neither is as dramatic or comprehensive as Norfolk’s.
The group visiting Norfolk included most members of planning commission, City Manager Edwards, and three of Richmond’s nine councilmen—Claude Woodward, George W. Sadler and Mrs. Eleanor P. Sheppard.
