The Omaha guide., 1947-08-02
Urban League
Urges Action
Rent Program

All dCllOH PTOSiolh a.
protecting the interests OF racial
groups, through close study Of the
new Housing and Rent Control
Act of 1947, was urged by the
National Urban League this week
as the social service agency called
upon its fifty-six local units to
follow through with a vigorous
campaign.
Local Advisory Rent Control
Boards become key factors in de-
termining the policy under which
the Housing and Rent Control Act
will be administered in each COM
munity," Reginald A. Johnson,
housing coordinator of the Nation
Urban League, stated. 1T is i'm
portant that all national and local
organizations and community lead.
ers wire or write the Governor of
their site requesting the inclus-
ion of racial and minority group
representatives in the list of
names recommended by him to
the Housing Expediter. These re-
representatives. will be appointed
to the Local Advisory Rent Con-
troll board in each defense rental
area.
1T would be well for organiza-
ton and community leaders to sup
ply the names Of several response
BILE representatives of minority
groups from each defense-rentad
area" Mr.. Johnson continued.
Let the Mayor and the Rent Con-
troll Director know the desire that
racial representatives be included
on your local Advisory Rent Con-
troll Borad."
The Urban Leagues Housing
Coordinator emphasized that the
local advisory boards May re-
commend raises in rents at any
time or even removal of all rent
controls from the entire area
This means situations may arise
in which there the lifting Of rent
ceilings or decontrols may be
justified as far as the general po-
pulation is concerned. But such
actions may find Negroes and
other minorities squeezed between
a wise of extreme housing short
ages on one hand and 'sky-limit
rents on the other"
To ward off IAN already admit
tedly threatening situation facing
ill-housed renters" the Nationa.
Urban League urges:
a. Organizations or individuals
cognizant of the extent of the
housing supply as exists for min.
ority groups in contrast to that
for the general population write
to Mr.. Frank Creedon, National
Housing Expeditor. indicating the
impact of decontrol unless it is
based on the availability of hous-
ing for all elements of the popuia-
ton.
b. In each rent control area,
groups and organizations should
become familiar with the facts
about the supply of housing, and
keep the situation before the local
Advisory Board so that they will
not recommend decontrol unless
there is housing available for all
groups in the population.
VETERANS GET CHOOSE
The League further urged that
the following action should be
taken to give preference or prior
ity to veterans of World War IL,
especially in seeing that the man
ner in which is publicly offered
and any efforts to restrict Negro
veterans from occupancy in any
particular housing unit will have
serious implications light of the
penalties involved for infraction
Of these regulations.
a. Community leaders should &C
quaint themselves with the regul-
ations governing public offering.
b. Community leadership should
be alerted in the protection of the
legal rights of Negro veterans in
exercising their preferential
status for occupancy in new hous-
ing regardless of where it is 10
Gated.
In this connection, the National
Urban League called attention to
a fine of IS, 90 for willful VIC
lation of the Veterans Preference
Clause of the new housing act.
Negro veterans should put this
regulation to work if they are
denied preference because of race,
Mr.. Johnson said.
Alloy, Not Hello