By Thea Jarvis

Progress is a double-edged sword that can cut a clean swath of newness while delivering deep wounds to those who fall in its path.

There are those among us who speak for these wounded, who look out for them and help them when they cannot help themselves.

We call them advocates -- those who call to us, in strong and confident voices, pleading a cause that is urgent and just.

Several years ago, the Oglethorpe Apartments on Johnson Ferry Road in DeKalb County came face to face with the yawning jaws of progress.

The federal government had foreclosed on the owners because of deteriorating conditions. It was now HUD's ball game and the six million dollar question was: What happens next?

If the units were sold by HUD to private developers, the chances were good that the apartments would be converted to upper and middle-income housing. Some local residents wanted the buildings torn down and replaced by a park. Either way, it looked as if the Oglethorpe occupants could expect the familiar pattern of uprooting and re-location that often accompanies neighborhood renewal.

Enter Interfaith, Incorporated, a non-profit housing development corporation which took issue with the direction in which HUD was moving. It was their contention that HUD, as the primary housing agency for the federal government, had a responsibility to meet the housing needs of low and moderate-income individuals.

The wrangling over the Oglethorpe Apartments dragged on for about seven years -- in and out of court. When the shooting was over, Interfaith had scored the definitive victory for the "little man." Oglethorpe Apartments -- now re-named Johnson Ferry East -- has become a public housing complex for low-income families.

In its 15-year history, Interfaith has counted the Archdiocese of Atlanta as a charter member and long-standing supporter. Archdiocesan representatives on Interfaith's board of trustees have included Monsignor Noel Burtenshaw, Monsignor Jerry Hardy, and current board member Steve Brazen of Catholic Social Services.

All have joined with representatives from other churches, businesses and the private individuals to "improve the quantity and quality of housing and housing related services for low and moderate income people," according to Interfaith president, Gene Bowens.

At present, Interfaith is moving toward completing of its newest development, Douglas Village in Douglasville. When finished, the Village, which will be 100% subsidized and is financed by a 95% Farmers Home Administration mortgage, will have 88 townhouse units available to low and moderate income families, as well as the elderly and handicapped. Thus far, 170 pre-applications have been submitted by prospective tenants.

As in Interfaith's other development projects, Boynton Village and MacLendon Apartments, Bowens hopes to provide pleasant, safe and sanitary housing at affordable rates.

But in addition to offering housing to those who have few fiscal options, Interfaith is out to attract "a wide range of income levels," Bowens stated.

"When people of different economic circumstances get together, this results in upward mobility, as opposed to public housing, where there is little upward mobility -- no initiative."

The Interfaith philosophy, combining housing development with advocacy for the disadvantaged, has proven solid and workable. Gene Bowens contends that Interfaith has been "a junction where the (religious, business, individual and government) sectors can meet and address housing and other needs."

"We have operated on a shoestring over the years," Bowens continued, but the organization has been responsible for "more than $20 million in brick and mortar -- a pretty good return. We need to do more, but we're proud that we have been good stewards of every dollar."

Responsible stewardship has involved the Archdiocese of Atlanta in more than the Interfaith enterprise. The recent announcement that a community-based housing cooperative had bought 42 parcels of land in historic Cabbagetown was good news to those who seek fair housing.

Steve Brazen, executive assistant of Catholic Social Services, related that when earnest money was being sought for a loan to purchase the Cabbagetown properties over a year ago, the archdiocese contributed $5000 towards the fund. Efforts such as this enable needed renovation and renewal of older areas to proceed under careful and sensitive neighborhood control.

Within its own ranks, the archdiocese actively promotes the rehabilitation of existing homes that are in need of repair. Catholic Social Services has, in the past, been responsible for major renovations under its "Project Rehab" program. Cutbacks in federal CETA funding have reduced the size of the jobs the agency can tackle, but CSS retains a small staff on its Emergency Repair Service which assists elderly and or handicapped homeowners.

"Last (January) we had nine houses repaired," said Charlie Nutting of CSS who screens referrals from the Department of Family and Children's Services, Saint Vincent de Paul Society and Adult Protective Services.

The ice and snow of a Georgia January took a severe toll on the older homes CSS targets for repair, and many emergencies involved frozen pipes and insulation against bitter cold and creeping moisture.

Winston Leverett, who does on-site evaluation of proposed repair jobs, "went out to one house that had no plumbing or pipes or front door," Charlie Nutting recalled. "You could look right through to the back door."

What Catholic Social Services can accomplish through its Emergency Repair Service is the maintenance of older residents in their homes, despite the normal physical problems that houses suffer.

"These people are able to stay there a little bit longer," Nutting observed. "If some of these jobs aren't done, there is no way they would be up to housing codes."

Taking a lead from CSS, St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta has begun a modest effort aimed at helping the poor and elderly with their housing problems.

On Saturday mornings, a small-scale work crew meets at the parish and heads for a home in need of repair. The housing service is available to anyone in need, not just area Catholics.

John Cavanaugh, who inherited the social service project from fellow parishioner and program initiator Gary Shane, describes the Alpharetta area as "very rural, with fairly wealthy horse farms and very old, rural families -- a lot of elderly."

Cavanaugh emphasizes that their outreach is a "very humble" beginning, but recognizes the effectiveness of the people to people dynamic.

"We had two very nice older women, 78 and 75, whose pipes had burst. They had to get water from a well," he related. "We fixed the pipes, wrapped them and tried to keep them from breaking again."

Because of the severe weather, however, help was again needed from the St. Thomas workers.

"We got involved with them. When the pipes burst again, we re-did them, insulated," continued Cavanaugh. "They sat us down and fed us -- it created a real relationship. Now we kind of watch out for them."

Housing successes of all sizes -- from the broad-based ecumenical effort to the small-scale grass roots outreach -- are striking proof that those who are most deeply affected by change, progress and the ravages of time can be helped to preserve their rightful place in the housing arena.

By identifying shelter as a primary need, advocates of fair and equitable housing take a giant step towards insuring shelter as a right that should be available to all.