During the Great Depression, Atlanta was the first city to build public housing. Today, it took a step towards becoming the first major city to completely eliminate it. A demolition crew began tearing down the city’s last large public housing project called Bowen Homes.
When Bowen was created 45 years ago, it started as a model development, but later become an enclave of poverty, drugs and crime.
Renee Glover, the president of the Atlanta Housing Authority, says, "On reflection, there's no question that this is the right direction, and Atlanta, the families will be the better for it."
Bowen's 900 former residents have found new housing. Most use a voucher system where they pay the same as they did when they lived here.
Today’s demolition is symbolic of what’s happening with public housing in major cities across the state. It’s a national effort to get rid of large stacks of rows upon rows of the 1960’s buildings and to create mixed income developments in their place. Georgia is one of the pioneers in this effort. Atlanta wants to be the first to do away with all of them by 2010.
When Bowen was created 45 years ago, it started as a model development, but later become an enclave of poverty, drugs and crime.
Renee Glover, the president of the Atlanta Housing Authority, says, "On reflection, there's no question that this is the right direction, and Atlanta, the families will be the better for it."
Bowen's 900 former residents have found new housing. Most use a voucher system where they pay the same as they did when they lived here.
Today’s demolition is symbolic of what’s happening with public housing in major cities across the state. It’s a national effort to get rid of large stacks of rows upon rows of the 1960’s buildings and to create mixed income developments in their place. Georgia is one of the pioneers in this effort. Atlanta wants to be the first to do away with all of them by 2010.
