The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-07-27
Housing

! Discharged military personnel seek
ing housing numbered 1872. Fam
HES OF military personnel station.
ed elsewhere totsled 70 applicA-
lions. OF the total Az military
applications, 1913 were housed at
Willow Run projects and the ma.
| jority OF the others were accommo-
dated locally. The USO Travellers
! Aid also aided the WHO in the
placement OF persons temporarily
who had arrived In Ypsilanti after
the War Housing Center had clos
ed for the day or week end. These
persons were temporarily taken
care OF until such a time as they
could contact the United States
Employment Office for employment
and the WHO for permanent home
placement. Figures compiled AT
the WHO indicate that a total OF
S92 persons were placed temper
arily in this manner. Temporary
housing was also found for 104 chill
dren until such a time as they
could be housed at the projects.
Property Converted
The WHO, in the course OF It's
existence, assisted 273 Ypsilanti
residents In converting their pro-
perry 10 provide additional living
space. In some OF the instances
individuals leased their homes to
the government on the govern
ment-conversion plan and in other
instances the individuals converted
privately but secured federal loans.
However, In most OF the cases the
private conversions were privately
financed. Other priority assist
! ance rendered totaled 62s cases.
In addition to priority problems the
WHO referred 419 persons with
rental problems 10 the OPA Rent
Control. The WHO was instru
mental last year in enabling local
landladies TO have their rents In
creased from the low student rates
that they had been asking prev
iously.
The War Manpower Commits
sion OF the local USES referred TO
the WHO SOL persons who had ap-
piled for releases from employ
ment within the area giving hous-
ing as their problem. The WHO
attempted to assist the individual
with his particular problem, tried
to and the necessary housing for
him, and thus was instrumental In
keeping many valuable workers In
the area who might otherwise have
returned TO their homes. The ma
jority OF persons hired locally
and especially those who appeared
10 present a housing problem were
referred direct TO the WHO from
the United States Employment
/ Once. When the WHO occupied
/ space In the City Utility Offices,
/ closed Saturday afternoons and
holidays. space was given at the
USES for housing, another exam
pie OF the cooperation existing
among the various federal and local
Offices.
During the existence OF the WHO
in Ypsilanti. 1927 persons called
in person for information concern
ing housing in general and during
the same period S93s phone calls
were received locally.
This great task OF housing Up.
silanti's Immigrant war workers
| could not have been accomplished
were IL not for the splendid coop
Grafton OF the officials OF Ypsilantt,
it's civic organizations, and It's resi-
. dents" says Mrs. Alice Pepper.
manager OF the War Housing Cen
| ter. 1T must have been q great
source OF pride 10 our Ypsilantl
boys M the service to see local
home owners do their good share
| in the war effort here at the home
front. Many housewives have de-
voted their entire effort In giving
an outstanding sample OF fpsl-
lantis hospitality TO those in-mi-
grant war workers who have flock
ed into local plants from all sec
lions OF the country. The wiling
ness. on the part OF these landlad-
les, TO adjust their home facilities
TO meet the needs OF those war
workers and 10 give home away
from home is typical OF the splen-
did cooperation given the War
Housing Center"
The fles are being transferred
10 the T.S.O. Travellers Aid at l23
Pearl St, which will continue TO
| render the service.
The Housing Center for Willow
Run will be continued, and appli-
cations may be made at the Willow
Run rental ONCE, 2049 +. Michigan
| Ave
Mrs. Pepper. manager OF the fp-
| silanti Housing ONCE, will be trans
ferred TO the Detroit office, where
she will assume her new duties
after August /.
There were IL volunteers who
worked regularly throughout the
year for the War Housing once:
Mrs. Ivy NJ. Bird. Mrs. Robert c.
Black, Mrs. Conrad Eichborn. Mrs.
Ralph L. Fairchild. Miss Marian
George. Mrs. Leonard c. Julien.
Mrs. Eleanor W. Kidder. Mrs. n.
l.. Leis. Mrs. Mary McAndrew Har-
per. Mrs. Donna Hayward McClel-
land, Mrs. Francis Pryor. Mrs. Caro-
lyme Pryor Mann. Mrs T. p. West.