The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-02-06
Vets Plan orr
Group To Deal
Jlization OF Citizens
With PHA House Sale
Charge Proposed
Price Of Units
Are Excessive

pose the sale of government own
ed permanent housing in Pasca-
goula at what is believed to be
excessive prices was taken at an
open meeting Monday night call
ed by the Pascagoula Veterans
of Foreign Wars at the VIEW
clubhouse on S. frederic street.
The meeting was attended by
more than 100 persons, includ-
ing both veterans and non-veter-
ans.
Following an outline of the
situation faced in the sale of the
662 permanent units by Karl
Wiesenburg, commander of the
post, and a general discussion
from the floor, the following res
olutions were unanimously
adopted:
THAT the sale of the per-
manent units in the government
owned project be deferred until
the citizens can be heard as to
price and terms of sale.
2.-That steps be taken at such
a hearing to present evidence
that the value of houses for single
dwellings not exceed a reasonable
price, and to eliminate the diff
ferential between the Public
Housing Authority appraised and
that of the Federal Housing Au-
thority, which is to finance the
sales.
To Call Mass Meeting
3.-To call as soon as possible
a mass meeting of all persons
interested in purchasing one of
the units, both veterans and nom
veterans for the purpose of or
ganizing a Citizens Housing
Committee to protect the inter-
iests of all the occupants of these
houses.
4.-Investigate the practicable
ty of organizing a citizens CO.
operative to purchase the units
if sold in block bid sales.
Wednesday Mr.. Wiesenburg
announced that a mass meeting
of all interested citizens has been
called for 3 p. m. Sunday, Feb
ruary 18th, at the 18th street au-
ditorium.
In summing up the situation at
Monday nights meeting Mr..
Wiesenburg used as an example
conditions surrounding the sale
of the so Gulfdale houses for
Negroes, and the returns from a
poll conducted by the VIEW post
among the 662 families residing
in the permanent units.
The FILA set an appraisal price
of $1,000 on the individual negro
units, he pointed out, and the
PHA set the sale price at $3.50
and $3.50. An individual want
ing to purchase a $3.50 unit had
to first pay down the difference
between the two appraisals, $3.50,
in cash, he said, in addition to
10 percent of the FILA appraisal,
as well as other expenses includ-
ed in the sale, making a down
payment in excess of $500.
AS a result he said, only IL ap-
plications for purchase were filed.
Results of the attempted sale
have now been placed with the
Washington office of PHA, he
continued, and indications are
that all applications will be re-
jected and the so units will be
sold to the highest and best bid
der for cash.
Sale To Syndicate
There is nothing to stop an in
vestment syndicate from buying
these houses on this basis for a
vastly reduced price, he pointed
out, while at the same time the
PHA could have sold them to
individuals if they had, in the
first place, been put up for sale
at a reasonable figure.
Indications from unofficial
sources are, he continued, that
in the sale of the Eastlawn Navy
units, scheduled to start March
/, the FILA Appraisal will again be
considerably less than the PHA
sale price and the individual pur-
chaser will have to make up the
difference in cash, with indica-
tons being that the average pur-
chaser will have to make a cash
down payment of between $500
and $1,000.
The first units scheduled to
go on sale are those on Buena
Vista and Williams street." Mr..
Wiesenburg said, land this will
be followed by individual sale
of other blocks. All of the units
in each block must be purchased,
or they will probably be offered
to investment syndicates on a bid
basis sale.
Il think it possible to form a
veterans cooperative 10 buy
these houses in blocks at a re-
duced price," he continued. but
what about the non-veterans and
others who live in and want TO
purchase one of these units7 I
Continued On page fufeel !