"No one is more proud of the beauty and attainments of the City of Austin than I. But for that very reason I am unwilling to close my eyes to needless suffering and deprivation,which is not only a curse to the people immediately concerned, but is also a cancerous blight on the whole community”
-Lyndon B. Johnson, "Tarnish on the Violet Crown" radio address, 1938 [4]
Past & Present
Lyndon B. Johnson at Santa Rita Courts, 1939
Photo Credit: www.nytimes.com
The 1937 Housing Act was a landmark piece of legislation that directed the federal government's attention and funding onto the pressing national concern over the shortage of affordable housing. With the creation of the United States Housing Authority, later known as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal government was able to provide loans to newly established local housing agencies to use towards the clearance of existing slums and/or the construction of low-income affordable housing, also known as public housing [1]. Future President Lyndon B. Johnson, at the time an up-and-coming Austin Congressman, played a key role in the creation and passage of the Housing Act of 1937. President Johnson would also later would be instrumental in developing the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), paving the way for other cities to take control over their local housing markets and partner with the federal government in order to achieve the funding necessary to remedy the affordable housing crisis [2].
Austin became the first city in the country to receive funding fund and develop low-income public housing. Although this was a progressive move for Austin at the time, the city maintained its enforcement of institutionalized racial segregation by constructing three separate public housing developments in order to ensure that African-Americans, Caucasians, and Mexican-Americans were not housed together as required by stipulations in the 1937 Housing Act. In 1939, Santa Rita Courts opened its doors and became the first public housing in the United States, followed the next year by Rosewood Courts and Chalmers Court. The three developments remained segregated until after the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 [3].
Currently, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), reports that over 18,000 residents are living in the eighteen public housing developments throughout the city. Santa Rita Courts is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and preservationists are actively seeking the addition of Rosewood Courts to the list. HACA also runs a nonprofit organization, Austin Pathways, which provides job training, higher education scholarship opportunities, and other social services to residents of public housing to improve quality of life and promote financial self-sufficiency [2].
The Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan reported that over half of Austin's residents are cost-burdened, meaning that they pay more than thirty percent of their total income on housing costs. As of today, the city maintains a six-to-one ratio of cost-burdened residents and affordable housing units, meaning that 37,000 additional units would need to be constructed in order to satisfy the current demand. If growth trends persist, Austin will need to develop 12,500 affordable units in order to maintain the present day six-to-one ratio, meaning that even if the units can be funded and built, there will still be an overwhelming gap between the demand and supply [7].
Austin became the first city in the country to receive funding fund and develop low-income public housing. Although this was a progressive move for Austin at the time, the city maintained its enforcement of institutionalized racial segregation by constructing three separate public housing developments in order to ensure that African-Americans, Caucasians, and Mexican-Americans were not housed together as required by stipulations in the 1937 Housing Act. In 1939, Santa Rita Courts opened its doors and became the first public housing in the United States, followed the next year by Rosewood Courts and Chalmers Court. The three developments remained segregated until after the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 [3].
Currently, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), reports that over 18,000 residents are living in the eighteen public housing developments throughout the city. Santa Rita Courts is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and preservationists are actively seeking the addition of Rosewood Courts to the list. HACA also runs a nonprofit organization, Austin Pathways, which provides job training, higher education scholarship opportunities, and other social services to residents of public housing to improve quality of life and promote financial self-sufficiency [2].
The Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan reported that over half of Austin's residents are cost-burdened, meaning that they pay more than thirty percent of their total income on housing costs. As of today, the city maintains a six-to-one ratio of cost-burdened residents and affordable housing units, meaning that 37,000 additional units would need to be constructed in order to satisfy the current demand. If growth trends persist, Austin will need to develop 12,500 affordable units in order to maintain the present day six-to-one ratio, meaning that even if the units can be funded and built, there will still be an overwhelming gap between the demand and supply [7].
Map of Santa Rita Courts Photo Credit: flma.org/santarita
SANTA RITA COURTS, 1939-PRESENT DAY
After the passage of the Housing Act of 1937, Santa Rita Courts became the country’s first operational public housing development in 1939. Lyndon B. Johnson continued to play a vital role in the planning and funding of Santa Clarita Courts as well as the following two Austin public housing developments that opened doors in 1940. Today, over 75 years later, Santa Clarita Courts continues to serve the Austin community’s lower-income residents [1]. True to the racial segregation patterns that were customary in that era, Santa Rita was created for the exclusive occupancy of Mexican residents. At the time, a unit in Santa Rita Courts rented for the lowest price for a comparable amount of space anywhere in Texas. Following the 1949 Housing Act, HACA authorized the addition of a sixty-unit annex to Santa Rita Courts, expanding its offering of affordable housing. Although no longer officially a segregated housing development, over half of present-day Santa Rita residents are Hispanic. Currently, Santa Rita Courts is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, both for its status as the nation's first public housing development, as well as its unique connection to civil rights activist and former President Lyndon B. Johnson[1].
After the passage of the Housing Act of 1937, Santa Rita Courts became the country’s first operational public housing development in 1939. Lyndon B. Johnson continued to play a vital role in the planning and funding of Santa Clarita Courts as well as the following two Austin public housing developments that opened doors in 1940. Today, over 75 years later, Santa Clarita Courts continues to serve the Austin community’s lower-income residents [1]. True to the racial segregation patterns that were customary in that era, Santa Rita was created for the exclusive occupancy of Mexican residents. At the time, a unit in Santa Rita Courts rented for the lowest price for a comparable amount of space anywhere in Texas. Following the 1949 Housing Act, HACA authorized the addition of a sixty-unit annex to Santa Rita Courts, expanding its offering of affordable housing. Although no longer officially a segregated housing development, over half of present-day Santa Rita residents are Hispanic. Currently, Santa Rita Courts is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, both for its status as the nation's first public housing development, as well as its unique connection to civil rights activist and former President Lyndon B. Johnson[1].
Rosewood Courts, 1940-Present day
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Rosewood Courts in East Austin represents an important moment in both Austin and national history as the first public housing development built for African-Americans during a time of intense institutional segregation. Built on Emancipation Park, a civil rights landmark in Texas history, Rosewood Courts is presently in the process of being nominated to join Santa Rita Courts on the National Register of Historical Places[4].
The cultural significance of Rosewood Courts can only fully be understood in conjunction with the history of Emancipation Park, one of the first parks purchased by newly freed African-American slaves. The official date of emancipation by the federal government is celebrated on June 19 in what is known as a Juneteenth parade, and Emancipation Park was utilized for this purpose among many other civil functions. Originally privately purchased and owned by the Negro Park Association, Emancipation Park was seized via eminent domain by the city of Austin in order to establish the “Negro district” called for in the city’s 1928 plan. Both the Park and Rosewood tell a crucial part of the story of segregation and civil rights not only in Texas, but in the United States [4]. Currently, the future of Rosewood Courts stands in the middle of opposing interests. The historic housing development has received a grant from the Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, which seeks to revitalize and improve the quality of public housing and increase resident access to education, municipal services, public transportation, and jobs [5]. Residents and preservationists fear that many of the redevelopment plans proposed by the Housing Authority will demolish the development entirely, forever removing what they hope to protect as a national landmark. Meanwhile, the Housing Authority is concerned that if the site is nationally listed, it will be unable to move forward with its redevelopment and improvement plans for the distressed area [6]. As the surrounding areas in East Austin gentrify, the fate of Rosewood Courts as of yet remains uncertain. |
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Sources
1. "Santa Rita Courts Continuation Sheet". National Register of Historic Places. United States Department of the Interior.
http://www.flma.org/santarita/Santa%20Rita%20Nomination.pdf
2. Housing Authority of the City of Austin. Housing Authority of the City of Austin, 2013. http://www.hacanet.org/
3. Drueding, Meghan. "Public Housing Community Rich in African-American History Faces Change in Austin." PreservationNation Blog. National Trust for Historic Preservation, 7 Feb. 2014.
4. "Rosewood Courts: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". Preserve Rosewood. http://www.preserverosewood.org/nomination.pdf
5. "The HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative." Rosewood: Austin's Choice Neighborhood. www.rosewoodchoice.com
6. Jespersen, Lizzie. "Whither Rosewood Courts?" Austin Chronicle, 31 Jan. 2014.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2014-01-31/whither-rosewood-courts/
7. Swartsell, Nick. "East Austin and the Fight for Affordable Public Housing - The Texas Observer." The Texas Observer. 13 Dec. 2012. http://www.texasobserver.org/santa-rita-courts-and-the-fight-for-affordable-public-housing/
1. "Santa Rita Courts Continuation Sheet". National Register of Historic Places. United States Department of the Interior.
http://www.flma.org/santarita/Santa%20Rita%20Nomination.pdf
2. Housing Authority of the City of Austin. Housing Authority of the City of Austin, 2013. http://www.hacanet.org/
3. Drueding, Meghan. "Public Housing Community Rich in African-American History Faces Change in Austin." PreservationNation Blog. National Trust for Historic Preservation, 7 Feb. 2014.
4. "Rosewood Courts: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". Preserve Rosewood. http://www.preserverosewood.org/nomination.pdf
5. "The HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative." Rosewood: Austin's Choice Neighborhood. www.rosewoodchoice.com
6. Jespersen, Lizzie. "Whither Rosewood Courts?" Austin Chronicle, 31 Jan. 2014.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2014-01-31/whither-rosewood-courts/
7. Swartsell, Nick. "East Austin and the Fight for Affordable Public Housing - The Texas Observer." The Texas Observer. 13 Dec. 2012. http://www.texasobserver.org/santa-rita-courts-and-the-fight-for-affordable-public-housing/
