The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1953-08-29
City Council Sets Stun Clearance
Hearing For Late October

meeting
Gil this week. Wednesday, October 18th set for
public hearing the proposed slum clearance and
development of large in the Northeast section of
the city. The meeting will be held in the Council Cham
Der. Representatives of the City Planning Commission
and the Redevelopment and Housing Authority have
been asked to be to questions that may
be asked by interested citizens.
This meeting is of far reaching Importance to the
City of Roanoke well to the citizens who must be
affected by this proposed project whether is approved
and executed not Therefore this meeting will not
be coming together of two hostile camps. The City
Planning Commission, Redeveopment and Housing Au-
thority and properly involved represent of
the ctys most substantial citizens Providence is bring
ing them together to discuss and solve problem that
must affect the people of the city today and generations
unborn.
The City Counclmen to be commended for set
ting the meeting in October That gives parties
cerned time to give the matter calm consideration of
the whole matter.
We proud of the rapid growth of city. 1t is
doubtful that any citizen would be selfish enough to
stand in the way of pogress However, refuse
believe that any of City officials would wish to
undue sacrifice the part of any segment of
population for the whole. That would be unChristan
AS Christians we believe the strong should bear the in
firmities of the weak Therefore, badly the sum
clearance project may be needed in Northeast and
anxious the City to rid herself of this unsanitary
and unsighty condition, (and this is only of many
in the city, the individual property should not
be expected to make unreasonable sacrifice to make it
possible The disturbance and relocation of the families
is staggering sacrifice From the very fact that these
people live in sub-standard houses and others live in
standard houses surrounded by substandard dwellings,
is proof of their substandard earnings 1t takes the
laborer lifetime to accumulate home Once
he succeeds in establishing himself and family he real
ICES that neither time physical conditions will per-
NIT him to do it again.
Therefore, in order to keep pace with progress and
in order to do unto others would that they do
we feel there would be nothing wrong with the Au-
thority guaranteeing any home-owner who must be up
cation equal if not better than the home he is called upon
to sacrifice, and at additional financial him
In order to avoid undue profteering the part of
some propertyowner the City Planning Commission and
the Redeveopment and Housing Authority should CO.
operate in securing desirable locations for the uprooted
families.
Let say such function would be foreign to duties
prescribed for both the Commission and the Authority
The City Council other proper authority could ap-
point special committee to assist in finding suitable
locations for the uprooted families.
Regardless of how this controversial problem is
solved it should be worked out in cooperative
between these parties that there could be justifi-
cation for any aftermath of enmity After all, one
lives for himself alone We help ourselves by helping
others. Therefore must hang together else, we
may hang separately