Agenda - 02-01-1982 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

O0448 had to call sub-contractors and you know you have no contractors in this country who undertake full responsibility for a job and perform everything themselves all the time. You need electricians, plumbers, etcetera. So you don't have that expertise but you get people under contract with you and you subcontract. And because of that Mr. Smith's priorities differed flumthe anticipation of the structured rehab. counsel, counselor. The counselor's articulation in the form of a memo addressed Mr. Smith having done something to the roof prior to doing something else. And for that reason, he didn't have sufficient knowledge to justify continued partici- pation in that program. I would raise great question with that. Let me touch briefly on why Mr. Smith quote dated in the letter received from the young lady who had just taken the position, the new position in Durham was denying him the right to participate in that program. There had initially been 66 2/3% of the contracts participating in the Durham rehab pTuyiam who were black; 33% were white. As the program went on the blacks were eliminated practically to one contractor. At that point, I went to Washington and talked with Mrs. Harris who was then the Sec- retary of HEW. I went to Atlanta, I talked with the Solicitors General Office. I went to Greensboro, and we brought in the Solicitors General, we brought in the Auditors, we brought in the FBI and we brought in HUD ficui Atlanta. At that time, if you read the papers, it was documented, they found there was discrimination. The Redevelopment Commission over there was practically, it was, they discontinued they were banned. They went out of business. They were audited; they found some discrepancies. And on the basis of that, they cane up with a new program in Durham. And I felt that it was extremely significant that you be informed as to what has taken place in your program and what kind of data, what kind of good clean raw data is being used to justify denying Mr. Smith participation in this program. Especially after he completed the building that he under- took on bid in the manner in which they wanted it completed. There was a sign off by the property owner. The property owner was completely satisfied with the building. Ah Your r91 rector would not provide us with a copy of that sign off. Said he didn't Isnow where it was. He couldn't find it. It wasn't in the file. We went over to the house where the daughter now lives and she said as far as she knew the parents were satisfied. She's