The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-08
BLOCK NEGROES
FROM ADEQUATE
LIVING CE
lSecond In q series on restrictive
covenants.

1Seeond In . series on restrictive
covenant
Improvement: ASSOC suons pay a
vial role IN limiting ne space
available for Negro sXpa'ls.on ~
numerous Northern c.aeS
A neifhborhood sometimes
called property owners Asseci-
alton Is composed Of business.
residential and professional
property owners Who band them
selves together 10 better their
community and - work out SOL
utions 10 community problems
WHEN these problems relate 20
planting ;tees and otherwise beau
tiylng the land. securing adequate
governmental improvements and
services and otherwise WORKING
together f6r the group Interests,
TIE aim OF these assoc .aLOns -
Conmenddble
But these improvement associa-
tions have Invariably gone a step
suriher and include ss one OF their
main objeciives. the prevention Il
occunAncy ~ Their ne lghborhoodS
bv eiazens ~ color. This IS sup
posed 20 be based on the common
assumption taai Negroes depIe-
Gate property.
NEGROES need adequate liv.
Ing space and desire decent homes
Decent homes are not 10 be !ounl
IN the Slums or IN contiguous
areas. While there is no desire
on the part Of mos, Negroes 70
move into so-called white neigh.
burhoods." II is generally In the
restricted" ,neighborhoOds that the
desirable property 10 be found.
The financing interests and real
estate people now admit that Ne
groes pay their debts and are good
fir nciai risks. But. despite the
facts. Negro citizens who can az
ford decent homes and who would
keep up the property after It's
purchase, are denied the oppor-
tuni,y by the chauvinistic attitude
and ignorance Of the Improvement
associations.
Thus every Negro Is affected
Usually the first Negro citizen 20
purchase in a new neighborhood Is
a doctor or lawyer or some other
professional person. The aver
age Negro citizen sometimes takes
an attitude Of disinterest,
DESPITE the economic status Of
q Negro who attempts 10 move into
the new community. the improve
ment association takes the posi-
ton that the newcomer is unde-
sirsble. An example OF their at
titude is cogently presented in .
pamphlet recently issued y the
Dearborn Property Protective as
ISOLATION.
The heading declares il 20 be
the purpose OF this association 10
"estalish and enforce subdivision
restrictions and promote better
zoning ordinances. The author
Of the pamphlet, Homer c. Beadle,
president OF the organization, is an
employee OF the Register OF Deeds
office for Wayne county.
Beadle says in the introduction:
The Dearborn Property owners
Of the city have prepared this
pamphlet 10 inform what steps
might be taken 10 preserve the
present values OF residential prop
erty in the city Of Dearborn.
Survey Of other communities
reveals that the two factors that
most seriously depreciate values
OF real estate are: first: introduce
tion Of Negro housing into white
neiyhborhoodS. and second. To-
cation Of small industry In resi-
dental areas"
IN A SERIES OF questions and
answers. Beadle sets forth infor-
nation 10 the effect that restric-
tions cannot be placed in the city
charter or by ordinance. He de-
fines occupancy restriction TO be
ca restriction recited either In the
oeed or by separate declaration,
whereby the assignor or seller linn
;ts the use OF his property when
he sells. such as limiting occu-
pancy to members OF the CauSa-
sian race"