Any Oakland story begins in like America. Even the story of this. Hosey.
Lake Merritt symbolizes the good living of Oakland.
This was not always true for Lake Merritt it was once a swamp.
But Oakland had the courage to dream and to plan by a program of conservation
and correction the swamp became the pride of the city a fine recreational center
and Wildlife Refuge far sighted planning made Oakland a major city for
serving over fifty steamship lines open pioneered the Bay Area's first major air
terminal serving the nation and the world and more improvements are on the way
and Oakland is a city of beautiful homes and do a fine place for living working
and raising children
but in Oakland future as in a larger cities there is an internal threat.
That cancer of housing decay almost in the shadow of the city hall
can be found the end result of this disease the slum.
Yes This too is Oakland.
Many over dwellings look
and are malignant threatening the vitality of the entire community the last federal
census revealed
that of Oakland's one hundred thirty one thousand housing units over fifteen
thousand were substandard over thirty five.
Under different that for repair somehow has run listed by the city
and were illegally constructed the slum does not just happen.
Ward the pressure of public apathy inadequate laws and personnel
and other complex factors combine to create the slums.
Whatever the causes such conditions take a heavy toll in human values
and vitality.
Public health nurses are quick to observe substandard conditions faulty wiring
creating danger of fire crowding and inadequate ventilation imperiling health
and safety weakening the fiber of the affected Wyler.
Basement quarters are damp improperly ventilated. Contrary to health standards.
They are the pressing and invite disease.
Some open houses have inadequate and the crap of plumbing dangerous to house.
Some have no inside Senator a facilities.
Every form of housing decay is found in the slums rickety railings
or steps.
Faulty plumbing undented stoves for lighting many families jammed into single
family units. All of these one concentrated spell slum.
Such conditions destroying neighborhoods for no incentive remains to stimulate
neighborhood pride or spirit. Decay until take over.
But that became a is not self-contained like a cancer it feeds upon
and drains the economy
and by telecine of the entire city slums are a costly breeding ground for crime
juvenile delinquency fire
and D.C.'s the tax payers in the good areas of the city pay for the slow
decay of moral and spiritual values cannot be made.
It in dollars and cents but taxes can.
Thirty five percent of the population lives in sub standard housing.
They provide only six percent of local taxes they consume about one half of every
local tax dollars to break it down.
Slums account for the following. Thirty five percent of the fires.
Forty five percent of the major crimes fifty five percent of juvenile delinquency
fifty percent of the arrests a major portion of public health
and hospital costs for example sixty percent of the TB victims alone.
Oakland City Council has acted.
It has adopted a program of conservation
and rehabilitation of neighborhoods to prevent the spread of deterioration.
The program is supported by an active active citizens committee for urban renewal
and other civic groups.
It is a community program based upon free enterprise cooperation
and the upgrading of older neighborhoods which if let go.
Are Doomed to taking the council selected the Clinton Park neighborhood as the
first project area.
I remodeled old house was moved on to city property in the area to serve as Project
headquarters Clinton Park is a high value area of fine old
homes.
But there is a spotlight foretelling General De Terrier aeration once fine structures
some old houses. Now crowded with many families.
Show a lack of proper maintenance such neglect breeds neglect.
Yet attractive bungalows indicate confidence and pride in the home.
But nearby neglect the press's all value.
And some of the older houses of similar age and style.
Owners have made substantial improvements a collective upgrading is needed to
really benefit the entire neighborhood.
Improvements are made in compliance with proper standards.
Every owner and every occupant games.
The tenant gets higher living standards inspiration to better housekeeping
and improve neighborhood environment. The owner higher value.
Clinton Park is a convenient area. It can accommodate a large crowd population.
It has modern apartment buildings new in the midst of all.
This construction is a shot in the arm to an old neighborhood it stimulates
property values.
The mixture of the old and new attractive
and unsightly is a pattern characterizing Clinton park.
The project area was wisely chosen.
It contains over twelve hundred structures half of our own are occupied in one nine
hundred fifty federal census showed in large percentage of the dryly units
substandard many were recorded as having no private bath
or is being below happened a bit. But Clinton park is not a slum.
Conditions are threatening and without upgrading the area will deteriorate rapidly.
But it is the first project area because it can become a proud example for other
open neighborhoods in checking creepin became slum beginnings are phoned in the
project area. Frontage is often look presentable.
But interiors and back yards are the tell tale of a protein blight.
Basement apartments
and Clinton far often repeat the conditions found in real slums.
But Oakland's rehabilitation and conservation program can stop these slum big.
Any it's such a program requires adequate city ordinances
and proper in Forstmann an operation
that means neighborhood wide compliance with accepted standards for the American
way of life.
The citizen who takes pride in holds
and maintains proper standards is bus so sure his neighbor must do
likewise. The city council.
Long realize the need for action
and appointed a full time urban renewal coordinator to administer the program.
City officials
and department heads have worked together to assure study progress
and proper planning for Oakland's rejuvenated future.
The first nail was driven
when construction started on the new Franklin Elementary School at once.
Avenue and Foothill Boulevard.
Franklin School is a pioneering example of cooperation between the city government
the Board of Education and the neighborhood in creating a new facility.
The old portables at Frank from school are a thing of the past the children of
Clinton park. Now and join a new school with adequate park
and recreational facilities public improvements of many kinds.
Can be a part of the city's support of better living in the area.
Urban renewal started at the citizen level one homeowners voluntarily improved
Wiley's This required a judgment by the owner as to whether the structure could be
brought economically up to proper housing standards.
The urban renewal represented in the contractor
and the nonprofit open renewal foundation.
All made the homeowner and guardian against on necessary and wasteful improvements.
Which may not meet requirements. New construction in the area is all.
Also urban renewal in action.
I housing standards
and freshen neighborhoods mean better living in a better environment from families
children
and future generations urban renewal is a program for all of open
it can and it will revitalize our cities life
and value openings rich heritage
and heritage of duty a good living can prevail through community and Denver
and cooperation a city after all is more than public buildings
full plazas wide streets
and traffic a city is the manifestation the needs of people the challenges
of fulfilling of human needs
and values our story ends as it began with like Marilyn Lake
Merritt is living proof that the city's bold
and imaginative program can work in the Oakland tradition urban renewal
and bring a new birth for our city Oakland.