SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

This collection consists primarily of speeches, memoranda, correspondence, and reports. The primary topics covered by the materials are: housing, community development, urban policy, and the President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization.

QUANTITY
9.3 linear feet (ca. 18,600 pages)

DONOR
Charles J. Orlebeke (accession number 2007-NLF-056)

ACCESS
Open. Some items may be temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT
Charles J. Orlebeke donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Julie C. Judkins, March 2009
[s:\bin\findaid\orlebeke, charles j. - papers.doc]

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Charles J. Orlebeke

1934 - Born in Grand Rapids, MI

1957 - B.A., Calvin College

1960 - Master’s degree in Political Science, Michigan State University

1960-61 - Fulbright Scholar, Australia

1962 - Employed by George Romney’s gubernatorial campaign

1963-69 - Governor Romney’s Office: 1963-66 - Administrative Assistant to Governor for Program Development; 1967-68 - Executive Assistant to the Governor for Planning and Program Development

1965 - PhD in Political Science, Michigan State University

1969-70 - Executive Assistant to Secretary Romney, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

1971 - Member of U.S. delegation to the Economic Commission of Europe Symposium on the Urban Environment

1973-75 - Dean, College of Urban Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago

1975-77 - Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, HUD

1978- ca. 1994 - Professor, School of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago; he also served as Acting Director and then Director of Student Recruitment

1983 - Federal Aid to Chicago published

1997 - New Life at Ground Zero: New York, Home Ownership, and the Future of American Cities published

INTRODUCTION

Charles J. Orlebeke was nominated by President Gerald R. Ford to the position of Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on July 24, 1975. In this position Orlebeke spearheaded programs of research, studies, testing, and demonstrations concerned with improving the nation’s communities. Research topics included: testing the feasibility of providing direct cash assistance to needy families for rental or homeownership payments; studies of fair housing and equal opportunity practices; development of techniques to lower or stabilize the costs of housing production; programs to increase housing safety and security; studies of the conservation of energy; better methods for the guidance of economic and community growth; and programs concerned with the problems of housing deterioration and neighborhood decay. Orlebeke’s appointment was confirmed on August 1, 1975. Orlebeke remained in the position until January 1977 when the Ford presidency ended. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary, Orlebeke previously worked at HUD from 1969 to 1972 as an assistant to Secretary George Romney.

This collection contains correspondence, memorandums, budgets, conference programs, meeting minutes, brochures, and speeches on issues related to urban policy, such as: community development, housing, urban renewal, the Urban Reinvestment Task Force (URTF), New York City finances, equal opportunity housing, the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (HABITAT), the Experimental Housing Allowance Program (EHAP), and Section 8. In addition, a number of speeches and papers about urban policy issues that were presented at conferences by Orlebeke from 1975 to1977 are present.

One entire series concerns the President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization, established on June 30, 1976, by President Ford to research problems in urban areas and suggest solutions to improve America’s neighborhoods. Secretary of HUD Carla A. Hills chaired the Committee and Orlebeke served on it. On October 21, 1976 the Committee delivered a final report to President Ford. The collection contains Orlebeke’s extensive working files on the Committee, drafts of the Committee’s report, and a final copy of the report.

Related Materials (2009)
The Bentley Historical Library of the University of Michigan holds the Charles J. Orlebeke Papers, 1962-73, which contain topical files related to Orlebeke’s early career at HUD, prior to Ford’s presidency. The Bentley Library also holds the George Romney Papers, which include files that show Orlebeke’s work as an aide to Romney in both the gubernatorial and HUD periods.

The Ford Library holds the Michael H. Moskow Papers, 1969-1976. Moskow preceded Orlebeke as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. He held the position from 1973-75. Other related collections of interest include: James T. Lynn Papers, 1974-78 (HUD Secretary, 1973-75); Thomas Cody Papers, 1972-76 (HUD Assistant Secretary for Administration, 1974-76); David O. Meeker Papers, 1971-84 (HUD Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, 1973-76); and Carla Hills Speeches, 1975-77 (HUD Secretary, 1975-77).

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Subject File, 1975-77.  (Boxes 1-16, 6.3 linear feet)
Inter-office correspondence, memorandums, HUD budgets, conference programs, speeches, conference papers, and meeting minutes. The materials relate to urban policy programs researched, designed, and implemented by HUD, as well as Orlebeke’s participation in conferences and travel across the United States as an expert in urban policy and a representative of HUD. Also included is material on the transition to the Carter Administration.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File, 1976. (Boxes 16-23, 3.0 linear feet)
Proposals, Report to the President (drafts and final), memoranda, speeches, research files, correspondence, and conference programs. Materials document the background and operation of the committee, the development of the final committee Report, reactions to the Report, government organizations comprising the committee, city visits made for research purposes, and congressional hearings and other issues related to urban policy in the United States. Included is a paper by Bernard J. Carl (Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, 1976-77).

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

CONTAINER LIST

Box 1 - Subject File

• Briefing Prospectus - Housing and Urban Development/Department of Agriculture Rural Demonstration
• Budget - Housing and Urban Development - Fiscal Year 1977 (1)-(3)
• Budget - Housing and Urban Development - Fiscal Year 1978 (1)-(2)
• Budget - Policy Development and Research - Fiscal Year 1976
• Budget - Policy Development and Research - Fiscal Year 1977 (1)-(3)

Box 2 - Subject File

• Budget - Policy Development and Research - Fiscal Year 1977 (4)
• Budget - Policy Development and Research - Fiscal Year 1978
• California Hills/White House Policy Meeting, September 19, 1975
• Carabetta/Bella Vista / Hartford
• Community Development Block Grant Evaluation
• Community Planning and Development
• Community Planning and Development, Environmental Impact Review
• Community Planning and Development, Housing Assistance Payments (HAP), "Expected to Reside" Issue
• Community Planning and Development, Housing Assistance Plans
• Conference Paper, Government Regulations and Housing Costs, November 1976

Box 3 - Subject File

• Confidentiality Dispute, Research and Development, Housing Research, Housing Assistance Research, General Accounting Office (GAO)
• Confirmation Hearings, July 30, 1975
• Congregate Housing Dinner, November 11, 1975 , National Conference on Congregate Housing for Older People
• Counseling Demo's and Studies (1)-(4)
• Countercyclical Bill (1)-(2)
• Denver , CO , November 29 – November 30, 1976 , Congress of Cities
• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Research/Criticism, Review, Planning
• Economic Affairs, 1975 (1)

Box 4 - Subject File

• Economic Affairs, 1975 (2)-(3)
• Economic Affairs, 1976 (1)-(3)
• Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Committee on Housing, Building, and Planning - Budapest October 4 - 8, 1976 ; London October 11 - 12, 1976
• Energy, General (1)-(2)
• Energy, Solar, Demo Program/Grants
• Experimental Housing Allowance Program (EHAP) and Section 8, Research and Development, Housing Assistance Research 1975 (1)

Box 5 - Subject File

• Experimental Housing Allowance Program (EHAP) and Section 8, Research and Development Research 1975 (2)
• Experimental Housing Allowance Program (EHAP), Research and Development, Housing Assistance Research 1976 (1)-(2)
• Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
• "Fair Share" Plans
• Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology
• Federal Executive Institute, December, 8 – 9, 1976, Charlottesville , VA
• Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Future Role
• HABITAT, "The United Nations Conference on Human Settlements," May - June 1976, Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada (1)-(5)

Box 6 - Subject File

• Homeownership Policy Options
• Housing Assistance Council (1)-(2)
• Housing Block Grants (1)-(2)
• Housing Management (1)-(4)
• Housing Opportunity Plans
• Innovative Projects/Productivity (1)-(2)

Box 7 - Subject File

• International Affairs, General (1)-(2)
• Joint Center for Urban Studies of MIT/Harvard
• Labor Relations
• Lunch - American Iron & Steel Institute, October 15, 1975
• Management, Secretary's Conference, Departmental Management (1)-(2)
• Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (1)-(2)
• National Academy of Code Administration (NACA)
• National Academy of Sciences, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (1)-(2)
• National Center for Housing Management
• National Housing Conference, February 29, 1976 , Statler Hilton , Washington , D.C.
• National Science Foundation

Box 8 - Subject File

• Neighborhood Housing Services
• New Communities Task Force
• New Technology
• New York City , Finance (1)-(2)
• New York City 's Financial Crisis and Impact on Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Programs (1)-(3)
• New York City , Tishman Proposal 1976 (1)-(3)

Box 9 - Subject File

• Operation Breakthrough 1975-76 (1)-(3)
• Operation Breakthrough Discussion Paper, April 1976
• People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) Contract 1975 (1)-(2)
• Policy Development and Research, Management and Personnel
• Policy Development and Research Organizations, Regional Contacts
• Program Analysis and Evaluation (1)-(2)
• Reactivation of 235, 1975

Box 10 - Subject File

• Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (RESPA) (1)-(2)
• Redlining
• Regions, Miscellaneous (1)-(2)
• Research and Development, Product Dissemination and Transfer
• Research and Development, Community Conservation (1)-(2)
• Research and Development, Community Development and Management Research (1)-(2)
• Research and Development, Community Economic Development (Commerce/Labor/Department of Housing and Urban Development)
• Research and Development, Energy, Building, Technology and Standards Research, Chandler Case

Box 11 - Subject File

• Research and Development, Housing Research, Basic Homes
• Research and Development, Housing Research, Tenant Management Demo, 1976
• Research and Development, Neighborhood Conservation, Monsignor Geno Baroni (1)-(2)
• Robinson Report (1)-(2)
• Roundtable, September 13, 1976 , National Urban Policy, Brookings Institution, Academy for Contemporary Problems
• Rural Development
• Secretary's (Carla A. Hills) Statements (1)-(2)
• Section 235 - Homeownership Subsidy Program (1)-(2)

Box 12 - Subject File

• Section 235 - Homeownership Subsidy Program (3)
• Section 701 (1)-(2)
• Section 8 - Housing Assistance Program (1)-(3)
• Section 8 - Field Evaluation 1976, Introduction and Tabs A-E

Box 13 - Subject File

• Section 8 - Field Evaluation 1976, Tabs F-J
• Section 802
• Section 815
• Site Search Criteria (1)-(3)
• Speech, February 23, 1976 , American Association for the Advancement of Science Symposium (AAAS), Symposium on Habitat, Boston , MA
• Speech, April 27, 1976 , American Statistical Association, Chicago , IL
• Speech, May 3, 1976 , Southern Methodist University ( SMU ) Seminar on Managing Urban Growth, Dallas , TX
• Speech, November 3 – 5, 1976 , Neighborhood Housing Services Conference, Chicago , IL
• Speech, November 9, 1976 , Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan Fellows Seminar, Boston , MA
• Speech, November 11, 1976 , National Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED), Hyatt Regency, Washington , D.C. (1)-(2)
• Speech, January 20, 1976 , National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Dallas , TX

Box 14 - Subject File

• Speech, June 30, 1976 , Brookings Orientation Program, Meeting with Economic Policy Fellows, Washington D.C.
• Speech, May 24, 1976 , Annual Meeting of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc.
• St. Louis University Proposals/Wendel, Ten Management/Pruitt-Igoe
• Statement, June 24, 1975 , Hearings Before the Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing, House of Representatives
• Sternlieb Rehabilitation Strategy, 1976
• Sternlieb, George
• Street Graphics
• Summary Program Data
• The Neighborhood Succession Process
• Transition Policy Development and Research, Summary for Carter Administration
• Transportation, Department of
• Travel, September 28 – October 2, 1975 , International City Management Association (ICMA) Conference, Seattle , WA
• Travel, October 9 – October 10, 1975 , Joint Center for Urban Studies, Boston , MA
• Travel, November 2 – 3, 1975 , National Growth Seminar, Kansas City , MO
• Travel, January 27, 1976 , Meeting with Mayor et al. regarding Rehabilitation, Louisville , KY (1)-(2)

Box 15 - Subject File

• Travel, October 18 – 20, 1976 , Ford Campaign Trip, Illinois and Iowa
• Travel, December 6 – 7, 1976 , Neighborhood Conservation and Housing Rehabilitation (NAHRO) Workshop, Tulsa , OK
• U.S. Conference of Mayors
• Urban Consortium For Technology Initiatives (1)-(2)
• Urban Homesteading (1)-(2)
• Urban Institute
• Urban Land Institute (1)-(2)
• Urban Reinvestment Task Force, 1976 (1)-(2)
• Urban Reinvestment Task Force (URTF), Correspondence on URTF budget/Proxmire et. al. (1)

Box 16 - Subject File

• Urban Reinvestment Task Force (URTF), Correspondence on URTF budget/Proxmire et. al. (2)
• Welfare Reform 1970s, from personnel files in office
• Welfeld, Irving - In-House Debates on Subsidy Incentives/Income Determination (1)-(3)
• White House Appointees' Orientation, 9/1975
• Workshop, July 14, 1976 , National Center for Productivity, Annapolis , MD

Box 16 (Continued) - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• Action (1)-(2)
• Agriculture (1)-(2)
• Background (1)-(4)

Box 17 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• Background (5)
• Background (Advisory Council on Historic Preservation) (1)-(3)
• Carl, Bernard J. "Urban Crisis, Issues and Needs," paper, August 1976
• City Visits, Schedule
• City Visits, August 2, 1976 , Boston , MA (1)-(5)
• City Visits, August 3, 1976 , Cleveland , OH
• City Visits, August 6, 1976 , Baltimore , MD (1)-(2)

Box 18 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• City Visits, August 7, 1976 , Chicago , IL
• City Visits, August 12, 1976 , Hartford , CT (1)-(2)
• City Visits, August 12, 1976 , Newark , NJ
• City Visits, August 12 – 13, 1976 , San Diego , CA
• City Visits, August 13, 1976 , New Orleans , LA (1)-(3)
• City Visits, September 9, 1976 , Oklahoma City , OK
• City Visits, August 25, 1976 , Pittsburgh , PA (1)-(3)
• Commerce (1)-(3)

Box 19 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• Community Services Administration
• Coordinating Volunteers Serving Local Governments, City/County/Regional Government Volunteer, Programs Coordinator Program, Model I, Large Cities (1)-(2)
• Coordinating Volunteers Serving Local Governments, City/County/Regional Government Volunteer, Programs Coordinator Program, Model II, Medium Sized Cities (1)-(3)
• Coordinating Volunteers Serving Local Governments, City/County/Regional Government Volunteer, Programs Coordinator Program, Model III , Small Cities/Counties (Non-Vac) (1)-(2)
• Creation of President's Action, Preliminary Drafts (1)-(2)
• Domestic Council
• Einhorn, David Papers
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Federal Home Loan Bank Board
• General Correspondence, A - Z (1)-(2)

Box 20 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• General Correspondence, A - Z (3)-(4)
• Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), Department of (1)-(3)
• Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), Department of, Program Summary Sheets (1)-(4)
• Hills, Carla A., Testimony, September 9, 1976 , National Commission on Neighborhoods
• Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (1)-(2)

Box 21 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (3)
• Justice
• Labor (1)-(2)
• Liaison Committe Meeting, July 7, 1976
• Liaison Committee Meeting, July 22, 1976 (1)-(2)
• National Governors' Conference
• National People's Action
• Neighborhood Commission Proposal (1)-(2)
• Neighborhood Preservation Hearings, June 14, 1976 (1)-(2)

Box 22 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• Neighborhood Preservation Hearings, June 14, 1976 (3)
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• President's Committee Meeting, July 21, 1976 (1)-(2)
• President's Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization Interim Report to the President, Drafts (1)-(6)
• President's Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization, Final Interim Report to the President, Summary and Press Conference, October 21, 1976 (1)-(3)
• Program Summary Results
• Proposed Meetings and Topics (1)

Box 23 - President’s Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization File

• Proposed Meetings and Topics (2)
• Reactions to Report to the President
• Small Business Administration (1)-(2)
• Status Reports, August 20, 1976
• Transportation (1)-(3)
• Treasury
• White House Public Liaison
• White House Conference on Ethnicity and Origin, May 5, 1976 (1)-(2)