Clark Howell Homes (Public Housing), Bounded by North Avenue, Lovejoy Street, Mills Street & Luckie Street, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

Significance: Clark Howell Homes is the first public housing project to be completed by the Atlanta Housing Authority, which was created in May of 1938. Clark Howell Homes is a representative example of pre-World War II housing projects constructed by local housing authorities nationwide with the assistance of the United States Housing Authority. Established by the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (the Wagner Steagall Bill), the United States Housing Authority sponsored 130,000 new units in 300 public housing projects between 1937 and 1941. Creation of the Atlanta Housing Authority reflects Atlanta's early and active participation in a national program of slum clearance and public housing construction that began during the Depression. Clark Howell Homes was constructed directly adjacent to Techwood Homes, the nation's first federally subsidized public housing project, and reflects refinements to the funding, administration, and design of public housing as first undertaken at Techwood Homes. Clark Howell Homes was designed by the prominent Atlanta firm of Hentz, Adler, and Schutze. The project was named in honor of Clark Howell, Sr., one of several Atlanta businessmen who were instrumental in securing federal funds to alleviate slum housing conditions in Atlanta during the 1930s.
Survey number: HABS GA-2309
Building/structure dates: 1940 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1951 Subsequent Work