Hope VI, Atlanta Success, Bye Bye
You know,
Atlanta just can’t catch a break with larger governments. The latest afront is the plan to cut the “Hope 6″ housing program. Modeled after the successes of the Atlanta Housing Authority, “Hope VI” was designed to integrate people of various social classes into the same neighborhood and give low income people access to training programs that would help them sustain the ability to work and function in a truly diverse community.
Now, the Bush administration has cut it in the proposed FY 2006 budget.
The program has met with some difficulties, but as Renee Glover points, out, it’s successes have been meaningful enough so that a ‘Mend It, Don’t End It’ policy warrents true debate and consideration.
Housing in America’s metropolitan areas is increasing in price must more quickly than is inflation. Quality affordable housing for the working poor with good access to highways and transit is essential.
Hope VI, for all it’s imperfections, should have been very popular with the neo-con crowd. It used public private partnerships to develop housing and programs. It leveraged a renewed interest in the urban fabric to emphasize the values of local association and volunteerism.
Atlanta was among the most successful examples of changing things. Techwood changed. Bankhead changed.
Ms. Glover outlined the keys to success in testimony to Congress. Hopefully, Congress will continue to fund the program and link that funding to successful outcomes. This is a far better use of the money than might be imagined by some Congressmen.