Urban Renewal: Difference between revisions
(New page: '''Urban Renewal''' refers to major government-sponsored projects aimed at boosting economic activity in cities. In the United States, the process refers specifically to federally-funded i...) |
|||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
==Housing Act of 1949== | ==Housing Act of 1949== | ||
The American '''Housing Act of 1949''' (Title V of P.L. 81-171) established a major role for the U.S. government in backing mortgages and mortgage insurance and funding construction of public housing to address a crisis of insufficient and inadequate housing. It was enacted as part of President Harry Truman's "Fair Deal" of domestic social programs. Truman explained in his 1949 State of the Union address that millions of families were sharing space in "slums and firetraps" and that the private sector would need to change its practices to meet the public need. | |||
The act provided federal funds to state and local governments for "slum clearance" (condemnation and demolition of unsafe housing) while encouraging private residential developers to fill the need for affordable housing through [[Federal Housing Administration]] (FHA) mortgage insurance and FHA loans for rural housing construction. It also expanded financing for low-rent public housing and funded research into housing construction and economics. Truman also used his executive authority to support the aims of the legislation. | |||
The Housing Act was a major influence in the post-war development of American cities. Individual home ownership increased markedly and the massive number of new households helped fuel a boom in commercial activity. On the other hand, new public housing fell short of projections, and in many cases actually provided fewer housing units than were demolished by slum clearance projects. Because many of the slums torn down housed black families and the projects that were constructed were often reserved for whites, the implementation of Urban Renewal was criticized by some as "Negro Removal". | |||
==Housing Act of 1954== | ==Housing Act of 1954== | ||
Revision as of 16:15, 2 April 2014
Urban Renewal refers to major government-sponsored projects aimed at boosting economic activity in cities. In the United States, the process refers specifically to federally-funded initiatives enabled through a series of laws which shaped the nation's urban policies after World War II.
Housing Act of 1949
The American Housing Act of 1949 (Title V of P.L. 81-171) established a major role for the U.S. government in backing mortgages and mortgage insurance and funding construction of public housing to address a crisis of insufficient and inadequate housing. It was enacted as part of President Harry Truman's "Fair Deal" of domestic social programs. Truman explained in his 1949 State of the Union address that millions of families were sharing space in "slums and firetraps" and that the private sector would need to change its practices to meet the public need.
The act provided federal funds to state and local governments for "slum clearance" (condemnation and demolition of unsafe housing) while encouraging private residential developers to fill the need for affordable housing through Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance and FHA loans for rural housing construction. It also expanded financing for low-rent public housing and funded research into housing construction and economics. Truman also used his executive authority to support the aims of the legislation.
The Housing Act was a major influence in the post-war development of American cities. Individual home ownership increased markedly and the massive number of new households helped fuel a boom in commercial activity. On the other hand, new public housing fell short of projections, and in many cases actually provided fewer housing units than were demolished by slum clearance projects. Because many of the slums torn down housed black families and the projects that were constructed were often reserved for whites, the implementation of Urban Renewal was criticized by some as "Negro Removal".