A Statewide Inventory of Urban Renewal Records

FAIN: PW-269343-20

New York State Archives Partnership Trust (Albany, NY 12230-0001)
David Paul Hochfelder (Project Director: July 2019 to present)

An online statewide inventory of municipal records documenting urban renewal in New York from 1949 to 1974, to facilitate planning for the digitization of the materials.

Urban renewal was one of the most important—and controversial—domestic policies in our nation’s history. Between 1949 and 1974, the federal government spent over $7 billion to revitalize more than 1,200 cities struggling with economic and population decline. Yet—except for a handful of cities—we know surprisingly little about urban renewal’s history and legacy. This project seeks funding of $52,029 ($46,420 for the core project plus $5,609 for inter-institutional partnerships) at the Foundations level to create a statewide inventory of locally-held urban renewal records for New York State, with the ultimate goal of digitizing selected records. This inventory and eventual digital collection will improve scholarly and public understanding of the lasting impact of urban renewal in our communities.