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IF YOU GO› What: South Pittsburg Housing Authority meeting› When: 5 p.m. (CST) Monday› Where: 214 Elm Ave., South Pittsburg, TN 37380
A South Pittsburg, Tenn. official says the housing authority's new resolution banning gardens was intended to prevent residents from planting in yards in the future, and he never intended for residents to dig up gardens already planted.
Those gardens would have been allowed, he said.
Housing Authority Board Chairman Virgil Holder has accused Mayor Jane Dawkins of generating confusing information because he is running against her in the South Pittsburg mayoral election in November.
"She went out and went to the individuals and told them that we were coming in with bulldozers and ripping plants out. We have not removed the first thing. But her and her followers went in and removed all of that to be hauled off like scrap," Holder said.
Dawkins said Holder's statement is untrue and that she's been out of town all week.
"It's resolution 937," she said, citing the resolution prohibiting gardens. "The South Pittsburg Housing Authority, beginning on June 1, 2016, will impose a new landscaping policy for all residents of the South Pittsburg Housing Authority. The new landscaping policy states that all landscaping, including gardening, is to be removed from the housing authority property."
Holder said the housing authority is trying to get control of sprawling gardens that made it hard for staff to maintain lawns.
"But here is the clincher to the whole thing," he said. "We had to put a date and a time limit on this thing. We had no intention of going in and ripping stuff out. We have compassion for our tenants."
Holder plans to address concerns about the resolution at the next South Pittsburg Housing Authority Board meeting at 5 p.m. (CST) Monday.
"I intend at our next meeting on apologizing to all of the residents for all of this turmoil, needless turmoil that was created by the mayor purely for political gain," Holder said.
Holder also said the board would be willing to consider a community garden if residents would maintain it. Residents had community gardens in 2012 and 2013. The housing authority spent thousands on seeds and material, but few residents seemed interested, so the authority stopped having the garden.
Holder said the board passed the resolution banning residents from planting vegetables and flowers in their yards after a board member, who Dawkins appointed, planted 12-15 trees in his yard, then planted blueberry bushes and started digging up the other part of his yard for a vegetable garden. When his fellow board members asked him to stop, the man said he had no intention of stopping until the board stopped other residents from gardening in their yards, Holder said.
Then, he said, the former board member complained that maintenance wasn't mowing around his yard enough and asked the housing authority's attorney if the authority violated its lease agreement because it wasn't mowing his yard properly.
That's what brought this resolution, Holder said.
Holder said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development hasn't allowed public housing residents to plant gardens in yards since the 200-plus public housing units were built. The housing units are scattered throughout the city, so it's already a challenge for staff to maintain the lawns and it becomes more difficult when yards are covered with trees and vegetation, he said.
HUD officials said it would be Wednesday before they could respond.
Gardeners and social activists across the country wrote letters and posted on social media expressing opposition to the resolution.
"Concerned citizens and garden clubs across East Tennessee, including Knoxville, Riceville, Cleveland and Chattanooga have expressed the desire that Resolution 937 be revoked," stated a letter sent to the housing authority by Mildred Miller McGuire.
Karamagi Rujumba, director of public communication and advocacy for Pittsburgh History and Landmark Foundation in Pittsburgh, Pa., commented about the policy this week.
"It's a terrible idea, because people who are cultivating gardens are enhancing the quality of housing," she said. "And using government regulation to stop what is enhancing the community is ridiculous."
Dawkins expressed public opposition to the resolution on social media. She spoke again about it Tuesday.
"My activity and statements on this are as a present, current, concerned mayor - no matter if I was running for re-election or not," she said. "This is heart stuff because I know those folks, especially the older folks and what a big part of their lives their gardens were."
Several residents and relatives of residents were concerned about jeopardizing their housing and declined comment.
One resident, an 80-year-old woman who requested anonymity, said her garden was like her children.
"Now I just sit here," she said solemnly Tuesday. "That was my lifetime passion, my flowers."
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.