Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-12
Buildings Sale
In Rent Boom,
Hits "A Children
Ges and Heat Cut Of;
Not Told
Of Change in Owner
BY MILTON MURRAY

S '" V'Si
BY MILTON MURRAY
There are thousands of isolated
instances of injustice, misery and
suffering that fit into the disorder
OF boom town housing problems,
One of them is being unscram-
bled here today after IA young
sters, one a 10-month-old baby
spent a night of subfreezine
weather in an unheated, unlighted
apartment where even the gas
had been disconnected.
Background includes a legal
snarl over the date ownership OF
the building would change, appar-
ent failure TO give the tenants
removal notices and-again-the
racial problem of white and
Negro.
JUST AN EXAMPLE
The building once was a four
family fiat. The depression
dropped IL into the hands of bank
which leased IL to a lawyer. He
cut the four flats into eight light
housekeeping apartments, rented
TO white tenants.
As his lease expired. a Negro
woman bought the building from
the bank. She planned 10 restore
Il to four family occupancy. redec-
crate. replace the four furnaces
with one and rent TO Negro ten
ants.
Due notice 10 the lessee was
given and the tenants were sup
posed to move. After the furnaces
had been dismantled the tenants
protested they had received no
notice and had no place 10 go.
y Utility men. notified by the
bsee. disconnected lights and
gas. The hapless tenants shivered
throughout the night.
REPORTED BY OWNER
II was the Negro owner WIN
came into the Times office TO re-
port the affair.
what can do? she asked.
Fl did everything properly hut
i don't want to see them suffer.
Where can they go?"
Perhaps the welfare department
will be able TO guide the ousted
tenants to new homes within their
means. And perhaps not.
Max Barton. secretary CT the
welfare commission. already IS
holding his head in anticipation
OF this Winters woe. Barton has
had repeated conferences with
Mayor Jeffries. He has been 10
Washington 10 plead for prepare
ton against impending calamity"
FEAR JOBS DECLINE
"Tt may he calamity" he said
Every one warns us there Is go
ing TO be a terrific drop In en-
-pleyHfeHt- during the change
over 60 defense production.
thousands OF those who be-
come unemployed will be forced
& onto welfare, They will face
eviction from the homes they
now rent. We do not now have
acceptable, let alone decent,
places for all those now depend
ent on welfare.
Frankly, I don't know what
we are going 20 do about hous-
Ing this Winter
RESORT TO EVICTION
Eviction of tenants has scared
to new highs. Some landlords, II
In charged, resort 10 eviction
rather than discuss rent increase
9th present tenants. knowing they
In get more from new renters.
John w. Smith. president of the
Common Council sought 10 ale
viate the stress of rising rents by
establishing a rent mediation COM
mittee. Hundreds of tenants have
rushed to this committee TO COM
plain OF rent increases.
An average of their complaints
shows a 21.9 per cent increase IN
rents. Greatest increases are In
the lowest brackets. where the per-
centage of increase often ex-
eeeds 100.
DISPOSITION OF CASES
Out of the many complaints
lodged, 15S have been ruled I'M
justified. There were private set
dement's between landlord and
tenant in "A; two were withdrawn
for fear of retaliation; as resulted
in rent reductions; four were set
tied by redecoration and repairs
to justify the increase; two land
lords faiied- 10 appear; f5-rcfuScti
20 mediate and 10 simply ordered
the complaining tenants TO move
The committee has no actual
power to enforce its recommended
tons. It can, if complaint is made
of housing or health code viola
ton, pass the complaint along Will
recommendation of prosecution.
This II the third of n series
Of articles on housing condi-
tions.)
-