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Milwaukee's community renewal program: Urban renewal techniques
(May 1964)
IV. Redevelopment, pp. 22-35
Page 35
Renewal Techniques for Eligible Public Renewal Areas Not Within the Six Year Program. Due to sev- eral limiting factors, governmentally assisted redevelopment and conservation projects cannot be undertaken in the number, size, or with the scheduling that blighted conditions might warrant. Examples of possible limiting factors include (1) insufficient city funds to undertake many projects within a given time period, (2) evidence of a poor market for land that could be cleared, (3) an inadequate supply of housing or of commercial quarters for families and businesses that would have to be relocated, (4) insufficient citizen interest in conservation pro- grams, and (5) inadequate number of social agency personnel to provide assistance to residents affected by pro- posed project activity. Consequently, within a six year program only a portion of the areas that might ideally be renewed on a project basis can be so renewed. What happens to the remaining eligible project areas? Although some of these areas may regenerate themselves without governmental project assistance, others may grow worse. Some aging or blighted areas both in Milwaukee and in other cities are regenerating them- selves largely because of their proximity to successfully executed urban renewal projects or to intown areas of private renewal. The activity of new investment in adjacent areas can be contagious. Other areas, however, are less desirably situated and remain blighted or actually deteriorate further. Trends and conditions within these areas need to be regularly assessed and determinations made of the type of renewal techniques to be used at different time intervals. Intensive code enforcement, initiation of special tax abatement programs to en- courage private investment, development of area master plans, and the extension of special educational and social services to "problem families" are among the measures that could be constructively undertaken to reduce or contain blight until a project is initiated or as the area regenerates itself. The importance of having renewal treatment programs for all areas of the community at all times whether or not renewal projects are scheduled cannot be overestimated. -35-
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