The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-09-30
THE FACTS
m OUR NEWS

s>~~S~.~s~~>>~~s~~~>~>~~ ~~-~~s~~s~~~~~~~S~
Can Detroit Meet Its Housing
Problem The meeting last
Thursday In the Detroit Housing
Commission offices was very chal-
longing affair 10 say the least. In
addition TO the regular business Of
the Commission there was . dele
CATION Of people ON hand TO protest
the putting Of more defense houS-
Ing units In the vicinity Of the So
journer Truth Project. A few weeks
ago the Detroit Victory Council had
suggested this site on which more
housing could be built for Negroes
who needed housing. This site near
the Sojourner Truth Project was
formerly recommended by the De-
troit Victory Council to the Detroit
Housing Commission.
At the Detroit Housing Commits
sion meeting two weeks ago when
this site, near the Sojourper Truth
Project, was recommended a COM
mittee was appointed by the chair
man Of the Commission to deter
mine whether the site was feasible
for building project for Negro &C.
cupancy. Last Thursday this COM
mittee reported that the site was
not wise choice in view of the fact
that Sojourner Truth caused so
much trouble when Negroes were
about to be moved in the project
II was voted three to one that this
report of the special committee,
appointed by the chairman of the
Detroit Housing Commission, be
followed.
At this meeting were people from
the section protesting against put
ting this project there for Negro
occupancy. These protests were on
the basis that their property would
60 down In value. Some Of the
people protesting stated that real
estate men had already been to
them offering anywhere from one
third to One-half of the original cost
of their homes.
Some of the people protesting the
building of another project stated
that IL the project was built for Ne
gro occupancy there should also be
q separate school program In the
neighborhood.
II was interesting TO note that
there was not a single person pres
ent who did not believe that Me-
groes should have anything other
than good places and neighborhoods
in which TO live Some of them
thought that it was awful that Ne
groes have TO live in such large
numbers in the most rundown
parts Of our city. in overcrowded
conditions The lone thing that
they talked about more than any
thing was that il more Negroes
were brought into the immediate
vicinity they stood TO lose finan-
cially.
Believe me all Of the drum beat
ing and flag waving In the world
will not chase away this fear. This
fear of financial loss Is real and
must be dealt with on q realistic
basis.
Let il be remembered that real
estate operators have taken advan-
tage OF the fear Of great loss on the
part of white property holders when
Negroes move into neighborhood.
They tell the whites to sell because
Negroes are moving into the vicini-
ty and they will stand to lose every
thing. So the house is bought
cheap. When the house is re-sold
to a Negro buyer he pays more for
the house than it is actually worth.
The Negro does this because he is
desperate for a place in which to
live.
1t can be easily seen that the
problem then, Is one of education
and economies. The whites are
afraid of Negroes because Of all the
lies that have been told about the
Negro. He has been fed all his life
that Negroes are inferior beings. A
white person driving through a Ne
gro section of the very low income
group will conclude that Negroes
are living In bad surroundings by
choice and inclination. They are
never taught the facts Of life In
this matter" 1t Is mandatory that
some education In this matter be
done before any real progress In
the housing of Negroes can be or
ried forward on any large and ade-
quate scale. Next. plan must be
worked out whereby the first steps
toward moving Negroes into neigh
borhOods other than those desig-
mated for Negroes, will not cause
panic growing out of financial fear.
We have reached a point In our
housing program for all our people
where the users of houses or fami-
lies are living In state Of fear.
Fear of Negroes causing loss and
fear OF the part of great masses
Of Negroes that they will never
have a chance to live decently.
Therefore, all working people are
exploited in the matter OF owning
a home.
Your vote is your voice In your