Evening star., 1936-09-27

mothers who have all their lives
struggled with low income and have
been forced to live in substandard or
slum housing conditions feel that
they and their family have been given
q new lease on life. And when
spoke to them, ! sensed personal
pride in the fleetwood homes, for
they would invariably ask me II
did not think the place itself was
beautiful.
1t is very handsome project OF
two and three story red-brick, fire.
proof buildings covering an area Of
221a acres. There are Is apartment
houses, Z two-story row houses and
IA miscellaneous buildings, including
8 stores, so that the housewife will
have a nearby shopping center. The
administration building has a clinic
and doctor and dentist Offices to rent.
The streets are wide and all of the
open spaces around the buildings
are neatly Handicapped. What appeals
| to Mrs. Housewife most is that the
| buildings cover only % per cent Of
| the area. The rest is used for park,
Fairgrounds, tennis courts and wad-
ing pool No wonder she is planning
| to spend most of her time out Of
doors with the children! One mother
went into lengthy details about how
| splendid the location was. Usually,
when they fix places for poor folks to
live" she said, lit is located far
| out. Now, here We are only 10 minutes
from town by the bus. And we have
schools for my boy and girl. Now,
I am also fixing for them to go to
Sunday school tomorrow, for its only
a short way. Yes, there are lots of
churches around here and the library
is near, too"
visited Mrs. x, wife Of soft
drink salesman, who earns about 5000
a year. For the last three years they
had lived in rickety old house. They
had little fire in the Winter and were
always suffering from colds, because
the woman who rented them the two
rooms could not afford to keep fire
continuously. Mrs. X explained how
she, her husband and the two young
sters slept in one bed in a small room
having one window, and that this
terrible place was costing them 80
per cent of their income. There is
scarcity of low-rent houses in Atlanta
and she could not find anything better
for the money.
IMAGINE her joy in her new, beau
tiful three-room apartment cost
ing about S23 month, in which elec-
tric and central heating Is included.
She cannot get over the kitchen
equipped with white electric stove and
refrigerator, metal cabinet and beau
tiful porcelain sink and wash tub.
1T never before had floor covered
with such beautiful linoleum." said
she excitedly.
Among these women, wives of order
clerks, statesmen, stenographers, book
keepers, ambulance drivers, collectors.
gas station attendants, bell boys and
other low wage white collar trades,
you find a definite modest gracious
ness and gentility that befits the
Southern lady in such lovely sur
roundings. Here afternoon tea is
offered with all the ease and airs of
the Southern traditions. They re-
gard themselves as favored to have
their country do so much for them
and in return they fully intend to
hold up their end in both co-opera-
ton and hospitality.
In the South it is considered a
misery to do your own work. But
fleetwood has made every provision
II ease the women's work. Everything
is simple, sanitary and easy to main
tain. There are also five central
laundries where the women have every
convenience for their washing and
ironing. Certain days are set aside
for use by each of the residents.
Not realizing I was a stranger to
Atlanta, the women assumed had
come to rent an apartment. Every
one on leaving me just hoped l would
be lucky enough to get in, and wished
me good luck. For like all Govern
ment projects there is certain
amount Of red tape involved. Here
it is a question Of keeping q strict
adherence to the standards for ad-
nlittance set up by the commission.
together with choosing the most de-
serving cases. For, although there
are only 6o4 dwelling units. more
than 1000 applications were received.
An experienced case worker investi-
gates each case and those eligible
must be passed by an advisory COM
mittee which consists of certain
prominent, civic minded Atlanta
citizens. Preference is given to self
sustaining low income families with
children whose head is citizen Of the
United States or who has taken out
first papers and who has been a resi-
dent of the city for at least one year
:. before applying for a dwelling. AS
matter of form all persons applying
for a dwelling must show by making
a signed statement that the net in
come of themselves and family is in
suficient to enable them to live in a
decent, safe and sanitary home with
; no overcrowding.
Families to be eligible for the prof.
ect must come from bad housing con-
ditions and then are only considered
II their income does not exceed f1ve
times the rent of the home which they
can. according to their number, oc-
cupy. Both of these regulations are
mandatory with the George -Healy bill
passed by Congress. The income must
range not lower than $700 and not
more than $1,000, varying with the
size of the family. Five persons must
take a four-room apartment and their
wage cannot exceed $500. Seven
: persons have a flve-room apartment
. or q six-room house.
Mrs. Housewife Is not allowed, as
.. . number complained, to augment her
: income with q boarder. AL families
must consist only Of relatives, includ-
.. ing dependents, established as q part
Of the family group.
From the First Lady OF the Land,
who sent q rose bush to be planted by
the Girl Scouts at the formal opening
Of fleetwood. to the poorest housewife
L. ~ - q