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{
    "localId": "1133413",
    "label": "5/22/75 - Los Angeles County Bar Association",
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    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133413"
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{
    "id": "1133413",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133413",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "5/22/75 - Los Angeles County Bar Association",
    "description": "This file contains material relating to Community Development of 1974.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133413",
    "collections": [
        "Carla A. Hills Speeches",
        "Speeches"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Housing",
        "Urban policy"
    ],
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{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133413",
    "naId": 1133413,
    "coverageEndDate": {
        "day": 22,
        "logicalDate": "1975-05-22",
        "month": 5,
        "year": 1975
    },
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        "day": 22,
        "logicalDate": "1975-05-22",
        "month": 5,
        "year": 1975
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{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0305/656148/1133413.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 1, folder \"5/22/75 - Los Angeles County Bar\nAssociation\" of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nFINAL\nLOS ANGELES COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION\nLos ANGELES, CALIFORNIA\nMAY 22, 1975\nI AM so PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY WITH so MANY FRIENDS\nWITH WHOM Rod AND I HAVE SPENT SO MUCH OF OUR PROFESSIONAL\nLIVES. THIS ASSOCIATION WILL ALWAYS BE A VERY SPECIAL GROUP\nTO BOTH OF US.\nAND BECAUSE YOU ARE FRIENDS, INSTEAD OF GIVING A TRUE\n\"BREAD AND BUTTER\" TALK, I WOULD PREFER TO SHARE WITH YOU\nSOME THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS THAT I HAVE OBTAINED DURING\nMY 14 MONTHS IN WASHINGTON, PLUS A PROBLEM I THINK WE CAN\nADDRESS TOGETHER.\nALTHOUGH I HAVE SPENT 17 YEARS AS A LAWYER AND 70 DAYS\nAS SECRETARY OF HUD, MY THOUGHTS, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT IN\nTODAY'S MARKET, ARE WEIGHTED TOWARD MY HUD EXPERIENCE, IF\nI WERE FORCED TO DECORATE THEM WITH A THEME, I WOULD\nPARAPHRASE, AS so MANY THOUSANDS HAVE DONE BEFORE, FROM\nDICKENS:\n\"IT IS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT IS THE WORST OF\nTIMES;\nIT IS THE EPIC OF BELIEF, IT IS\nTHE EPIC OF INCREDULITY.\"\nFORD c- LIBRARY QTVUED\n-2-\nAs ONE WHO WAS INVITED TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BY\nELLIOT RICHARDSON, WHO LEFT BEFORE I ARRIVED, AND AS ONE\nWHO WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE NOMINATION OF ED LEVI, WHO\nCAME AS I WAS LEAVING, I HAVE SOME SENSE OF THE FUTILITY\nOF COUNTING TOO HEAVILY ON FUTURE EXPECTATIONS.\nAND AS ONE WHO HAS LIVED THROUGH THE AGONY PRECEDING\nTHE RESIGNATION AND WHO HAS SEEN CLOSE AT HAND THE SYSTEM\nENDURE SUCH STRESS, I HAVE SOME SENSE OF THE FOOLISHNESS\nOF SUCCUMBING TO UNDUE DESPAIR.\nBETWEEN THE CHOICE OF SORROW OR JOY, MY THOUGHTS\nLEAN MORE TOWARD CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM FOR THE FUTURE\nWITH SOBER CONCERN FOR THE PAST,\nTo ILLUSTRATE, IT IS STILL TOO EASY FOR SOME\nTO SCORN OUR PROFESSION FOR THE RECENT FAILURES OF LAWYERS\nIN HIGH PLACES, WITHOUT GIVING CREDIT TO THE SYSTEM THAT\nCHECKED THEIR LAWLESSNESS.\nGERALD LIBRARY A FORD\n-3-\nSIMILARLY, WE STILL HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE INCREASING\nNUMBERS OF LAWYERS AND TOO LITTLE PRAISE FOR THE LEGAL\nTRADITION THAT MAKES OURS A GOVERNMENT OF LAWS THAT HAS\nACHIEVED so MUCH IN COMPARISON WITH THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE\nTYRANNIES OF MEN RUN UNCHECKED.\nBUT, HOW DO WE TREAT WITH THOSE 3 SAD YEARS IN WHICH\nOUR LEADERS WERE CONVICTED, INDICTED, OR DISGRACED ON A\nSCALE UNPARALLELED IN OUR HISTORY?\nI DO NOT REFER MERELY TO OUR HIGHEST ELECTED AND\nAPPOINTED OFFICIALS. To THE WRECKAGE OF WATERAGE, WE\nADD THE CONVICTION OF FORMER CONGRESSMEN, A FORMER\nGOVERNOR, STATE LEGISLATORS, AND A FORMER MAYOR,\nTo THIS SAD COLLECTION WE CAN ADD THAT 11 OF OUR LARGEST\nCORPORATIONS HAVE ADMITTED TO FEDERAL ELECTION CRIMES WHILE.\nTWO FORMER LEADERS OF MAJOR LABOR UNIONS WERE IMPRISONED,\nAND THE PRESIDENT OF A THIRD WAS CONVICTED FOR THE MURDER\nOF HIS RIVAL,\nGERALD R. FORD\n-4-\nCOULD ANY OTHER DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT SUSTAIN SUCH\nCRIPPLING BLOWS TO ITS CREDIBILITY WITHOUT A THREAT OF\nANARCHY OR EFFORT TO IMPOSE THE TYRANNY OF A TOTALITARIAN\nGOVERNMENT?\nAND YET, WE NOW APPROACH THE ELECTION OF 1976 WITH A\nDEDICATION TO MORALITY AND FAIRNESS FOR THE ELECTORAL\nPROCESS THAT FEW WOULD HAVE DREAMED POSSIBLE 12 SHORT\nMONTHS AGO, IT IS INDEED A TRIBUTE TO THE ULTIMATE VALUES\nOF OUR SYSTEM.\nTHE QUESTION NOW IS WHAT DO WE DO TO INSURE THAT WE\nMOVE THROUGH OUR AGENDA OF PRESSING NATIONAL PROBLEMS?\nOBVIOUSLY THE CONFLICTS AMONG US OF PURPOSE, MOTIVE,\nAND PERCEPTION HAVE NOT DISAPPEARED. LAWYERS MORE THAN\nANY OTHER GROUP WILL JOIN IN COMBAT\nFORD as LIBRARY OERALD\n-5-\nBETWEEN NEW BUSINESS AND ENERGY GROWTH\nVERSES\nTHE INCONSISTENT DEMAND FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT.\nBETWEEN THE PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT TO\nGUARANTEE NEW JOBS, HOMES AND SECURITY\nVERSES\nOUR FAITH IN FREE ENTERPRISE,\nBETWEEN THE CRITICAL NEED FOR A MORE\nEFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE\nVERSES\nOUR DEDICATION TO FAIR TRIALS AND OUR\nCOMPASSION FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED.\nBETWEEN THE SHARP DEMAND OF CONSUMERS\nFOR BETTER TREATMENT\nVERSES\nTHE EQUALLY INCESSENT CALL FOR LESS\nGOVERNMENT REGULATION,\nBETWEEN THE DESPERATE CRY OF THE UNEMPLOYED\nVERSES\nTHE UNIVERSAL DESIRE TO AVOID ANOTHER\nCRIPPLING INFLATIONARY CYCLE,\nGERALD A. FORD LIBRARY\n-6-\nOF THOSE CONFLICTS WITH WHICH WE DEAL AT HUD, NONE\nIS MORE PRESSING THAN THE CURRENT PROBLEMS OF OUR CITIES,\nFAIR-MINDED PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT THE AGONY OF THE CITIES\nOVER HOUSING, JOBS, SCHOOLS, AND BUSSING, AND AGREE THAT\nTHE BLAME DOES NOT TOTALLY LIE WITH RACISTS OR WITH\nMEDDLESOME OFFICIALS. RATHER, IT IS APPARENT THAT ECONOMIC\nAND SOCIAL PROBLEMS HAVE GROWN FAR FASTER THAN OUR CAPACITY\nTO FORGE ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS.\nTHE STARK FACT IS THAT MANY OF OUR GREATEST CITIES ARE\nBEING SACRIFICED TO OBSOLESCENCE AND DECAY. IN TOO MANY,\nBLOCK UPON BLOCK OF ABANDONED, BOARDED UP HOUSES SERVE\nAS HOMES FOR THE FLATSAM OF HUMANITY.\nNEAR THESE ABANDONED NEIGHBORHOODS AND, PERHAPS, SOON\nTO FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE, ARE THE SLUMS, WHICH ARE THE BANE\nOF OUR COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE, THESE ARE NOT THE HOMES OF\nA LOWER INCOME GROUP BUT RATHER AN \"UNDER CLASS\", WHO ARE\nNOT JUST POOR BUT IMPOVERISHED.\nGERALO R. FORD LIBRARY\n-7-\nTHE SLUMS OF AMERICA HOUSE A CONCENTRATION OF SOCIAL\nPROBLEMS OF A MAGNITUDE WHICH AT TIMES SEEM NEAR INSOLUBLE.\nCRIME, RACIAL ANIMOSITY, FAMILY DISINTEGRATION BREED EASILY\nIN THIS ENVIRONMENT.\nAND, AS ABANDONMENT GROWS, INCREASINGLY LARGE NUMBERS\nOF POTENTIALLY VALUABLE HOUSING STOCK ARE LEFT FALLOW AND\nDECAYING -- THEREBY INCREASING THE NUMBERS OF POOR CONSIGNED\nTO NEARBY, OVERCROWDED, AND SUBSTANDARD DWELLINGS.\nTYPICALLY, THE DECLINE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD STARTS WHEN\nTHE EASY AVAILABILITY OF NEW HOUSING IN THE SUBURBS ENTICES\nFAMILIES TO LEAVE THEIR URBAN HOMES. As THE HOUSING STOCK\nBEGINS TO FILTER DOWN, THESE FAMILIES ARE GRADUALLY REPLACED\nBY POORER FAMILIES WHO LACK THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A\nHEALTHY COMMUNITY, AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD\nBECOMES LESS STABLE.\nR. FORD LIBRAL\n-8-\nTHEN, LENDING INSTITUTIONS BECOME NERVOUS AND AS A\nRESULT, LENDING POLICIES BECOME MORE STRINGENT. NEW\nOWNERS ARE FORCED TO MAKE HIGHER DOWNPAYMENTS AND HAVE\nSHORTER-TERM LOANS. HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS BECOME\nUNAVAILABLE.\nTHUS, THESE FAMILIES ARE MUCH LESS ABLE TO MAINTAIN\nOR TO IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTY, OFTEN THE PROPERTIES BECOME\nVIABLE ONLY AS RENTAL UNITS, AND THE ECONOMIC LEVEL OF\nTHE INHABITANTS TENDS TO DECREASE FURTHER,\nAs THE VALUE OF THE HOMES DECREASES AND THE STRUCTURES\nTHEMSELVES DETERIORATE WITHOUT POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVEMENT,\nOWNERS BEGIN TO ABANDON THEIR BUILDINGS, THE EMPTY HOUSES\nBECOME A BLIGHT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FURTHER DEPRESSING\nPROPERTY VALUES. CRIMES INCREASE; NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES\nDECREASE. ACCELERATED ABANDONMENT FOLLOWS.\nIN NEW YORK CITY ALONE 25,000 UNITS ARE ABANDONED EACH\nYEAR.\n-9-\nGOVERNMENTAL POLICIES HAVE FOR TOO MANY YEARS BEEN\nCOUNTER-PRODUCTIVE -- IN THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT OF SUBURBAN\nSPRAWL AND IN THEIR HOUSING PROGRAMS WHICH CONCENTRATED\nTHE POOR IN NEW PROJECTS, WHICH TOO OFTEN BECOME TOMORROW'S\nSLUMS.\nOUR APPROACH TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS ALSO BEEN\nOUT OF FOCUS, THE PROCESS OF NEIGHBORHOOD DECLINE IS A\nGRADUAL ONE. ITS FORM AND ITS CURE VARY TREMENDOUSLY\nBETWEEN CITIES, AND EVEN BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN A\nCITY.\nYET OUR EARLIER RESPONSE TOOK THE FORM OF RESTRICTIVE\nCATEGORICAL GRANTS, WHICH DEPRIVE COMMUNITIES OF THE\nFLEXIBILITY TO USE FEDERAL FUNDING TO ATTACK THE PARTICULAR\nCAUSES OF DECLINE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.\nEVEN THE BROADEST OF OUR CATEGORICAL PROGRAMS DID\nNOT DIRECTLY ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD DECLINE, INSTEAD OF\nSEEKING TO PRESERVE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK, WE EMPHASIZED\nCLEARANCE AND RENEWAL. INSTEAD OF TREATING CAUSES, WE\nTOO OFTEN TREATED THE SYMPTOMS.\n-10-\nA NEW APPROACH IS CONTAINED IN THE 1974 HOUSING AND\nCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AcT WHICH MAKES THREE SIGNIFICANT\nCHANGES IN NATIONAL POLICY:\nFIRST, THE Act REQUIRES THAT, AS A CONDITION TO FEDERAL\nASSISTANCE, A CITY MUST SUBMIT A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN.\nTHAT PLAN MUST IDENTIFY THE NEEDS, OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES,\nAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OF THE COMMUNITY, SPECIFIC ATTENTION\nMUST BE PAID TO THE NEED TO \"ELIMINATE OR PREVENT SLUMS,\nBLIGHT OR DETERIORATION.\"\nA HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLAN MUST ALSO BE SUBMITTED WHICH\nASSESSES THE COMMUNITY'S HOUSING NEEDS AND RESOURCES,\nINCLUDING ITS EXISTING HOUSING STOCK,\nSECOND, THE 1974 Act INITIATED A RENTAL SUBSIDY\nPROGRAM FOR HOUSING LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES. IT\nGIVES LOCAL COMMUNITIES CONSIDERABLE DISCRETION IN ADAPTING-\nFEDERAL HOUSING AID TO LOCAL CONDITIONS. THE COMMUNITIES\nMUST DECIDE WHETHER TO USE EXISTING, REHABILITATED, OR NEWLY\nCONSTRUCTED HOUSING IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEW RENTAL SUBSIDY\nPROGRAM.\nGERALO A. FORD LIBRARY\n-11-\nBy ALLOWING A CITY TO UTILIZE ITS EXISTING STOCK, THE\nNEW PROGRAM ENCOURAGES THE PRESERVATION OF URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.\nIT PERMITS CITIES TO GIVE LOWER INCOME FAMILIES THE RESOURCES\nTO SHOP IN THE MARKETPLACE FOR THE BEST NEW OR EXISTING HOUSING\nUNITS THEY CAN FIND IN THEIR PRICE RANGE. By ASSURING OWNERS\nOF A REASONABLE RENTAL ON THEIR INNER CITY PROPERTIES, IT\nENCOURAGES NECESSARY MAINTENANCE AND, HOPEFULLY WILL STEM THE\nTIDE OF ABANDONMENT,\nTHIRD, THE 1974 AcT REPLACES THE PREVIOUS RESTRICTIVE\nCATEGORICAL GRANTS WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, THIS\nPROGRAM GIVES FUNDS DIRECTLY TO UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT\nAND AFFORDS LOCAL OFFICIALS WIDE LATITUDE IN UTILIZING THE\nFUNDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR THE NEEDS THEY IDENTIFY,\nTRUE TO THE STATUTORY PURPOSE, COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN\nINNOVATIVE IN THEIR USE OF THESE GRANT FUNDS, AND, THE\nEMPHASIS ON URBAN PRESERVATION INTENDED BY THE Act HAS\nFOUND EXPRESSION IN CITIES' USES OF THEIR GRANTS,\n-12-\nFOR EXAMPLE, NEARLY 10 PERCENT OF FUNDS so FAR COMMITTED\nFOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE USED FOR REHABILITATION LOANS, THIS\nIS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE AMOUNT EVER PROVIDED FOR REHABILITATION\nLOANS UNDER THE PREVIOUS FEDERAL CATEGORICAL PROGRAM.\nA GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE COOPERATION THAT CAN EXIST BETWEEN\nTHE FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN ADDRESSING PROBLEMS OF\nOUR CITIES IS THE SPLENDID MANNER IN WHICH MAYOR BRADLEY\nAND HIS STAFF WORKED THROUGH THE UNTRIED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT\nPROGRAM.\nTHEY ENLISTED THE REQUIRED CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, AND\nSUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR $38.5 MILLION DOLLARS IN\nCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS, BECAUSE THE APPLICATION WAS\nIN PROPER FORM, WE WERE ABLE TO PROCESS IT WELL WITHIN THE\n75-DAY PERIOD SPECIFIED BY THE AcT, AND TO ANNOUNCE THE\nGRANT THIS MORNING,\nTHE CITY OF Los ANGELES WILL SPEND OVER $8 MILLION OF\nITS GRANT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES. IT\nPLANS TO REHABILITATE 2100 EXISTING UNITS OF HOUSING, AND\nIT HAS EARMARKED $2.7 MILLION DOLLARS OF ITS GRANT FUNDS FOR\nA LOCAL REHABILITATION LOAN PROGRAM,\n#\nFORD\nGERALD\nLISHARY\n-13-\nFOR THE FIRST TIME, THESE FEDERAL FUNDS ARE GIVEN\nTO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, so THAT THEY, NOT THE FEDERAL\nGOVERNMENT, ASCERTAIN THEIR NEEDS, DETERMINE THEIR PRIORITIES\nAND DEVISE STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS,\nWE LOOK TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AS THE SEEDS\nFROM WHICH WILL GROW A CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN\nFEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THIS IS OUR BEST HOPE\nFOR REJUVENATING URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS AND PRESERVING\nOUR CITIES,\nWE ALSO SEE URBAN HOMESTEADING AS A TOOL FOR NEIGHBORHOOD\nPRESERVATION.\nUNDER THE TYPICAL HOMESTEAD PLAN, AN ABANDONED PROPERTY\nIS CONDITIONALLY CONVEYED TO A QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL FOR A\nNOMINAL FEE OR NO CHARGE ON THE CONDITION THAT HE LIVE IN\nTHE HOUSE FOR AN AGREED UPON TIME, DURING THAT PERIOD,\nTHE RESIDENT, USUALLY, IS REQUIRED TO BRING THE UNIT UP\nTO CODE STANDARDS, AT THE END OF THE PRESCRIBED TIME, THE\nRESIDENT OWNS THE HOME,\n-14-\nI AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING\nA DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM PURSUANT TO PROVISIONS IN THE\n1974 AcT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE FEDERAL SUPPORT OF LOCAL\nURBAN HOMESTEADING PLANS.\nHUD HAS TRIED IN THE PAST WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS TO\nBE SUPPORTIVE OF CITIES UTILIZING HOMESTEADING. WE BELIEVE\nOUR NEW EFFORT WILL CIRCUMVENT THE DIFFICULTIES MET IN THE\nPAST,\nIN JUST A FEW WEEKS HUD WILL INVITE CITIES. TO SUBMIT\nHOMESTEADING PLANS WHICH DEMONSTRATE LOCAL INITIATIVE IN\nNEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION. WE WILL SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVE SEVERAL\nPLANS AND PROVIDE THOSE CITIES WITH HUD-HELD HOUSES TO USE IN\nURBAN HOMESTEADING. HOMESTEADING WILL REMAIN A LOCAL NOT\nA FEDERAL INITIATIVE. HUD WILL PROVIDE HOUSES TO COMMUNITIES\nFOR USE IN THE PROGRAMS THEY DESIGN AND ADMINISTER.\nWE KNOW THAT URBAN HOMESTEADING IS NOT THE PANACEA\nFOR THE ILLS OF DECLINING NEIGHBORHOODS, STILL, THE\nESSENTIAL SOUNDNESS OF THE CONCEPT IS INESCAPABLE, WE\nLOOK TO OUR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM TO DOCUMENT THE VALUE OF\nTHIS TOOL FOR USE IN NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION. WE ARE\nCAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.\nGERALD R. FORD LIBRARY\n-15-\nOUR STUDY OF THE URBAN HOMESTEADING CONCEPT HAS TAUGHT\nUS A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT LESSONS ABOUT ITS USE,\nFIRST, ALTHOUGH ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED OF AS A MEANS\nOF PROVIDING HOUSES TO POOR PEOPLE, IT HAS BEEN MORE\nSUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING PEOPLE TO ABANDONED HOUSES TO\nSTEM NEIGHBORHOOD DECLINE.\nSECOND, HOMESTEADING IS USEFUL IN STABILIZING OR\nTURNING AROUND A DECLINING NEIGHBORHOOD RATHER THAN IN\nREVITALIZING AN ALREADY BLIGHTED AREA, FILLING EMPTY\nHOUSES WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL TAKE AN INTEREST IN THEIR\nENVIRONMENT CAN HELP TO PRESERVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD,\nTHIRD, FINANCING IS A KEY ELEMENT TO ANY NEIGHBORHOOD\nPRESERVATION PROGRAM, INCLUDING HOMESTEADING. VERY OFTEN\nABANDONED STRUCTURES USED FOR HOMESTEADING ARE IN NEED OF\nSUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION, AND THE NECESSARY CAPITAL IS NOT\nREADILY AVAILABLE. SUCH FINANCING REQUIRES AN ACTIVE\nPARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY'S\nFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, ALSO TAX RELIEF IS ALSO USEFUL\nGORALD R. FORD LIBRADA\n-16-\nTO ENSURE THAT THE THREAT OF INCREASED TAXES DOES NOT ACT\nAS A DETERRENT TO HOME IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS.\nFOURTH, A COMPREHENSIVE ATTACK ON NEIGHBORHOOD DECAY\nMUST ACCOMPANY HOMESTEADING. ANY OVERALL STRATEGY MUST\nINCLUDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LENDING INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITY\nRESIDENTS. IN SHORT, NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION MUST BE A\nCOOPERATIVE VENTURE JOINING BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS,\nAND THIS IS WHERE LAWYERS BECOME ESSENTIAL.\nFIRST, THE NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM REQUIRES LOCAL COMMUNITIES\nTO DESIGN THEIR PLAN FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. CITIZEN\nPARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED BY THE 1974 AcT. As CITIZENS YOU\nCAN CONTRIBUTE MUCH TO THE FORMULATION OF THE COMMUNITIES'\nPLAN.\nAs ATTORNEYS, YOU CAN FACILITATE THE COOPERATION BETWEEN\nGOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN\nURBAN PRESERVATION STRATEGY. THE ROLE OF FACILITATOR\nIS NOT UNFAMILIAR TO THOSE OF YOU WHOSE LIVELIHOOD COMES\nFROM SETTLING LAWSUITS AND PUTTING TOGETHER CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS.\nIN BOTH INSTANCES YOU ENCOURAGE A DIALOGUE. EXCEPT HERE THE\nPAYOFF IS NOT PROFITS, BUT THE PRESERVATION OF OUR TROUBLED CITIES,\nFORD a LIBRARY GERALD\n-17-\nWE CAN SAVE OUR CITIES. WE HAVE THE BASIC TOOLS, IT\nIS UP TO US TO FORGE THE NECESSARY PARTNERSHIP AMONG THE\nFEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, AND\nLOCAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. THE LEGAL COMMUNITY THROUGH\nTHIS BAR ASSOCIATION IS PARTICULARLY SUITED TO THIS TASK.\nWE AT HUD LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU,\nTHANK YOU.\nGERALD R. FORD LIBRANT"
}