Yamacraw Village

photo of laundry hangs next to Yamacraw Village apartments

Significance

Yamacraw Village was built in 1941 as a segregated housing complex between the Historic District and west Savannah. Not only does it have a history with working-class families, but prior to colonization Yamacraw Bluff was home to around 20 Indigenous families.

Undertaking

The undertaking began with the Housing Authority of Savannah submitting an application to demolish and then rebuild the complex since Yamacraw is not the city’s property but the federal government’s. Despite the public contesting the Housing Authority’s desire to demolish the structure, they have stated that “the cost to rehabilitate each living unit would be too costly,” which is why demolition and redevelopment were decided.

Outcomes

As of now, “the city will draft a Memorandum Agreement with the Housing Authority and SHPO to finalize the Section 106 Review and present it for public comment.” Following that, the Housing Authority can submit the request to demolish Yamacraw and if the Department of Housing and Urban Development approves the demolition, the project can continue forward.

While Section 106 does not protect the physical property or location, people are urging that if Yamacraw is demolished that “historical interpretation of the site be included in future discussions.”

So What?

This case displays how vital public opinion can be to Section 106. The strength of public opinion is shown through how vocal the community has been about preserving the history of Yamacraw Village.

Primary Health Care at Yamacraw Village