The Omaha guide., 1946-12-14
CaLUin's Diqest
HOUSING-A NATIONAL HEADACHE
BY JOHN M. LEE

11OO n
The indicated recession, for which wise heads are now pre-
pairing, will be a greater national calam ty, because the basic
element of our national family security is in alsad and neg
lected state. During the previous years of depression there
we're few If any headaches in the local communities OCCASION
ed by the problem of finding housing for the unfortunate.
When and if the blow falls again, the Health and Welfare a.
gencics will be beseiged with requests for shelter, any kind Of
shelter, for the hordes Of doubled-up families throughout
the nation.
Already there is evidence that badly overcrowded families
are thinning out, thus putting a further strain on the acute
shortage of housing. The agonized cries of returned veier-
ed that they can do nothing,-nor promise anything for the
n and their families grow louder every day, and the Veter-.
ans Housing authorities in almost every state have announc-
immediate future.
The theory has been advanced that the shortage Of housing
is a city problem caused by the shifting of large groups of
rural and suburban dwelIers to the urban centers because of
the need of manpower in these centerst to build the supplies
and instruments Of war. 1t was believed that when the great
mass Of war workers returned to their home communities the
pressure would Tighten in the cities. However, it Develops
that not only has the shortage become more alarming in the
ctis, but those workers who have returned to their home
communities have found ii impossible to locate any kind Of
housing Accommodations.
Despite the fact that thousands of housing units, previous
y condemned as being unfit for occupation, have been re-
habiitated and put back into service in many communities,
there is still no evidence that the local, state and Federal gov
ernments have a problem of lesser proportion than it was
this time last year-if anything it is growing daily.
Prior to the war, the Negro minority and a portion of the
white populations on a similar economic level were the only
victims of the housing monster. Their problem was one of
quality rather than quantity; there was an abundance of low
grade, blighted housing that rented for prices that suited
their meager incomes. Far-sighted leaders urged, at that
time, that the Federal, State and local governments cooperate
with private interests to build adequate, low-rent housing on
a Large scale. This proposal met with sitting opposition,
whenever and wherever it was introduced. AS a conse-
quence, the wartime concentrations of war worker popula-I
lions. put a strain on the limited Accommodations, and the
creating of new family units by the marriage of maturing
youngsters, created the bewiIdering scarcity we now have.
Direct appeals to President Truman to use executive au-
ihority to get some sort of program started seem to be the
only avenue leading toward a solution at tins time. Because
of the deserved priority accorded veterans, a limited building
program would not make a dent in the shortage. 1t must be
remembered that We were over our heads before the boys
came home.
Most important among the many reasons that can be adj
vanced for a building program that will equal our war effort
is the discrimination against Negroes. Little consideration
is being given TO the Negro minority in overall discussions
and planning. II is expected that the Negro. will not get
housing benefits until the white population in most commun
tiles has been adequately sheltered. The Negro and his
friends, then, must act Immediately 10 support the campaign
for big scale housing programs all over the country, for,
while housing is a national headache today, it can easily re-
vert to its old position of being the Negroes headache.