Reports

Moreland Avenue Land-Use Report

Introduction

The land-use survey of the Moreland Avenue corridor was conducted June-August 1999 as part of an internship with SouthStar CDC through the Neighborhood Development Internship Project. The data were compiled in various formats. Excel spreadsheets contain the information gathered in the land-use inventory as well as the property owner names and addresses. Economic development resources available in the form of property rehabilitation programs are discussed briefly in this analysis and in greater detail in the brochures submitted with the final report.

Data Format

The land-use data along with the property owner names and addresses are set up as two spreadsheets, one contains the data for Fulton County and one contains the same information for DeKalb County. The land parcels are listed by address in numerical order beginning with those closest to I-20 and extending down to Custer Avenue. A bold line in the spreadsheet represents the end of a block. Therefore, the parcels listed above and below the bold line are corner lots. The column titles represent the property characteristics recorded in the land-use survey. They are: Overall Building Condition, Sidewalk Condition, Land-Use, Occupancy and Number of Units. The codes for understanding how the properties were rated are included as an attachment to this written analysis. They are also included as a spreadsheet on the diskette. The column headings for the information gathered at the Tax Assessor’s office are Property Owner Name and Address and Year Built. If using the diskette, the name of the file is morelan1.xls. Once in the file, there are three tabs: Moreland Ave. - Fulton Co., Moreland Ave. - DeKalb Co., and Coding Definitions.

Analysis of Land-Use Inventory Data:

The following table shows the approximate percentage breakdown of property characteristics along the Moreland Avenue corridor:

Overall Building Condition

There was a significant difference in the overall building condition of properties in Fulton and DeKalb Counties. I was surprised that 88% of properties on the DeKalb side of Moreland rated ‘Standard’ based on outward appearance. However, the Fulton County side showed only 66% in ‘Standard’ condition and 28% in ‘Substandard’ condition. Not more than 3% of properties rated ‘Deteriorated’ or ‘Dilapidated’ on either side of Moreland. The general impression of the Moreland Avenue corridor is that the properties are in bad shape. The fact that 88% on the DeKalb side ranked ‘Standard’ would probably surprise most people. It is worth mentioning that I was fairly generous in my evaluation of building conditions. My supervisor recommended that I error on the side positive when evaluating building conditions. The fact that the Fulton County side of Moreland had 28% of properties in ‘Substandard’ condition was a clear indication that something more than just a fresh coat of paint should to be done to clean up the area.

The condition of businesses along Moreland were a big part of the problem with regards to overall building conditions in the area. The parking lots were filthy and broken and the construction style of the businesses had no regard for the rest of the community. Landscaping and facade improvements would help tremendously in cleaning up the area. Also, none of the parking lots had any trees planted or greenspace at the entrance to the properties. There was an overabundance of automotive-related businesses, many of which were trashy and disorganized buildings on an asphalt lot with chain link fencing. It would be difficult to improve upon the appearance of these properties except to do away with them entirely. However, it may be worthwhile to see if there were anything in the code enforcement manual that would assist in at least getting these places cleaned up.

Sidewalks

Sidewalk conditions improved a bit over the course of the land-use. However, about 35% of the sidewalks on both sides of Moreland were either non-existent or in bad shape. Also, consistency in the type of sidewalk was a problem along both sides of the Moreland Avenue corridor. The older sidewalks that allow about 18 inches of greenspace and 24 inches of concrete walking space were visibly pleasant when mowed often, however, that was not usually the case along Moreland. The newer sidewalks that do not have the greenspace allowed more room for walking & strollers, which was more practical for a busy street like Moreland. Since the up-keep on the older sidewalks with the greenspace was a problem, it might be best to simply redo all the sidewalks to create uniformity along Moreland Avenue.

Land-Use

The combined average percentages for the land-use along both sides of Moreland Avenue were:

• Residential - 59%
• Commercial - 27.5%
• Other - 12% (this includes codes 07,08,09 and 00)

The survey showed that Moreland’s land-use from I-20 to Custer Avenue was about 60% residential and 40% non-residential. However, reviewed separately, the Fulton County side of Moreland had less residential property, more vacant property and more property dedicated to parking. My guess is that Briarcliff Road probably has about the same breakdown of residential vs. non-residential property, but it certainly has a much softer appearance. It might be worthwhile to compare the two and see what could be done on the southern end of Moreland Avenue to soften its appearance. I am certain that sidewalks, landscaping and facade improvements to businesses would help.

Occupancy

Occupancy was a problem for the Moreland Avenue corridor, especially on the Fulton County side of the street. The survey showed that 26% of the properties in Fulton County and 9% in Dekalb County were unoccupied. It is quite likely that the high rate of unoccupied properties in Fulton County was directly correlated to the 26% of buildings in ‘Substandard’ condition. A few of the unoccupied properties were under renovation and will probably sell within the next 12 months. However, most of the vacant properties were not in the process of renovation and a significant amount of the empty space was commercial property.

Property Owner Information

The majority of the single family residential property was owner-occupied according to the Fulton and DeKalb County tax records. For the most part, researching the property owners was simple after I figured out the cumbersome DOS-based system at the DeKalb and Fulton Tax Assessor’s Offices. However, with that said, it was not uncommon to find discrepancies between the address that I recorded in my walking survey and the address that I found on record at the tax department. Most of these were off by one number and therefore easily reconciled. Yet, the Fulton County information on the Moreland Avenue addresses 931-963 was very confusing. The data for these three parcels was difficult to reconcile. There were three 3 different sources: 1) the walking survey with the clipboard, 2) the REDI maps that gave the Fulton County land lot, land square and the street address, and 3) the Fulton County Tax records. For some reason, each of these sources rendered conflicting information about the parcels. I went over the information several times and could not resolve the discrepancies in parcel numbers, addresses and property owners. Please see the notes in the ‘Comments’ section of the spreadsheet indicating the discrepancies that I encountered in my research. My best guess is that some of the properties are owned by the same person and therefore listed with one address and/or one parcel ID number in the Fulton County Tax Assessor’s database.

Data on Year Built

The age of the properties on Moreland was of interest to me, so I included it in the spreadsheet. It is no secret that I have an ‘old house’ bias. I think it is important to note that the houses along Moreland Avenue represent a certain time period (1910-1940) and style (predominantly Craftsman). The majority of the businesses that have developed over the years have been built cheaply and with no regard for matching the look and feel of the neighborhood. It is my belief that future development should be steered toward complimenting the residential property in the neighborhood. This would include working with the developers to save old-growth trees and demanding appropriate facades. These two things could help to preserve or restore the integrity of the area.

Economic Development Data

Information on property rehabilitation programs available for residents and business owners in the SouthStar area is included with this report. The brochures on these programs will give more extensive information on many programs. However, I have highlighted a few of the programs that looked especially helpful to the area.

The DeKalb Economic Opportunity Authority Inc. offers assistance with weatherization for certain low-income individuals in DeKalb County. This program includes free weather stripping, storm windows and doors and insulation. The contact person is Ann Harris-Humphrey in the Energy Department (her phone number is 404-292-0179).

Phil Smith, Director of Housing Finance and Economic Development (phone 404-330-6410) recommended several programs for the SouthStar area.

The Business Improvement Loan Fund (BILF) which is administered through the Atlanta Development Authority. Businesses can borrow up to 50K (sometimes more) at a low interest rate (3-5%)

The Department of Housing Finance and Economic Development offers rehab programs for owner occupied houses. Loans are available at a deferred and low-interest rates

Low-interest loan program available to landlords with multi-family properties (must be at least five units)

The Community Housing Resource Center (CHRC) has a comprehensive listing of home improvement programs for homeowners of all income levels. Many of the programs are low-interest loans, but there are also grants and non-profit organizations available to help in certain situations. The contact person at the CHRC is Kate Grace (phone 404-624-1111).

Another good contact for information about economic development programs is the One Stop Capital Shop located in City Hall East on Ponce de Leon Avenue. Lori Holiday is the contact person (phone 404-853-7675).

Summary

The data collected from the Moreland Avenue Land-Use Survey shows an overall problem with poor sidewalks and run-down businesses that need facade improvements and landscaping. The average breakdown in overall land-use for Moreland Avenue from I-20 south to Custer Avenue was approximately 60% residential, 28% commercial, and 12% Other. The ‘Other’ category included land-use such as religious, educational and social institutions (including day care centers) and parking.

There was a significant difference between the land-use and occupancy percentages between the Fulton and DeKalb County sides of Moreland Avenue. The property on the Fulton county side of the street had a higher ratio of unoccupied space than the DeKalb County side Fulton County also had more ‘substandard’ buildings and more unoccupied land.

Many of the buildings which earned a ‘Standard’ rating in overall building condition were still unsightly in their appearance. Poorly landscaped lots and/or houses that were badly in need of paint and other minor repairs represented a large portion of those labeled ‘Standard’. Also, a significant number of the businesses along Moreland Avenue were automotive repair shops which were unattractive and dirty in nature.

The information from the Tax Assessor’s Office in Fulton and DeKalb Counties indicates that most of the residential property along Moreland is owner-occupied. A large portion of the commercial space is vacant on the Fulton County side of the street. There are a number of rehabilitation programs available to homeowners, landlords and business owners which, if implemented, would greatly improve the quality of the property along Moreland Avenue.

Economic development along Moreland Avenue would represent a major milestone in the overall success of Southeast Atlanta. Residents, planning officials and developers must work together to foster positive growth and rehabilitation of the Moreland Avenue corridor. If done appropriately, the ‘clean up’ of the area could be one of the most successful revitalization efforts in the Atlanta metro area.

Coding Definitions