September 9, 2025: 1,000 Voices for Yamacraw

Barbara and Opollo were joined by guest Randy Zurcher to talk about Yamacraw Village, a low income housing community on the chopping block here in Savannah.  Yamacraw was build in 1940 on the bluff where Oblethorpe brought the first settlers to Savannah, where he became friends with Yamacraw Creek Chief Tomachichi.  Yamacraw was a New Deal project to provide housing to poor people during the Great Depression.

Originally built to house 300+ families, less than 100 new live in Yamacraw.  Many have left due to deferred maintenance that has left units unlivable and lack of security that left residents feeling unsafe.  Thanks to the organizing skills of Elder Ned Williams, the remaining Yamacraw tenants have formed a Tenants Council that has been recognized by US Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The Housing Authority of Savannah is planning to submit a demolition request to HUD due to their analysis that the structures are too deteriorated t rehabilitate.  The remaining tenants are asking that housing be rebuilt on the site, with at least 100 deeply affordable units, that tenants who left on/after 2020 be given the right to return, and that they are provided temporary relocation assistance if they cannot remain during demolition.  And they are asking for these requests in writing by HAS before a demo permit is submitted to HUD. 

The HAS is expected to meet on 9/10/25 aty noon to discuss and approve the demo request and Savannians are showing up and more are in the wings in support of the tenants and their requests.  Listeners were urged to join the 1000 voices to create thousands of voices in support of the Yamacraw Residents Council.

Next week we join in the celebration of Mexico Dia de la Independencia to talk about Mexico's amazing people and their culture, the gifts they have brought to the USA, and the current situation facing migrants in the USA, particularly those who are not documented.  Wear red, white and green for tto celebrate  Feliz dia de la indenpendencia, Mexico.