St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-09-18
Northern SfufeS
In War On
HOUSING Bios

III "0H vi
Housing Bios
Especial to Associated Negro
Press
Housing bias, like many other
racial ills that plaques American
democracy, has been recognized
for some time as one Of the nations
most pressing problems. Until re-
cent years, however, no fortnight
action, legally or otherwise, had
been taken to end the practice and
realtors and hostelries could and
did discriminate almost at will.
OF late, however, many large
cities and communities pressed by
population and minority problems
have recognized that housing bias
must be eliminated. In fact, most
Of the northern states have laws
prohibiting bias in housing on &C
count Of race, creed, religion or
national origin.
Among the 81 northern states
now having anti-discrimination
statutes on the books are a few
in the New England area. These
have not only armed themselves
with laws to fight housing bias,
but have instituted programs de-
signed to improve relations be-
tween peoples Of different racial
backgrounds. Much of the pro-
grams deal with eliminating fears
from the minds of whites and edu-
eating citizens in their responsible
tiles to one another.
One such program is underway
in Newark, N. ]. Led by Mayor
Leo P. Carlin, the program aims
at providing better, more adequate
housing and living environment
for non-white residents, prevent
rent gouging, and end real estate
block busting" Fair and equal
police protection is also part of
the package.
Fleeing Whites Create Problem
] In Newark, population shifts,
caused by flight of whites to sub
urbia, has been and continues to
be a real headache for the city
fathers. The shifts are similar to
those in other large cities. A Ne
gro or some other minority men,
Der moves into a white neighbor-
hood and whites Immediately be-
come panicly.
At first they bring pressure to
bear upon the newcomer. When
that fails, they begin to sell prop
critics and move out of the COM
munity. Somehow, whites, encour-
aged by greedy realtors, have the
notion the ENTRY Of non-whites
into a white neighborhood auto
matically brings about a decline
in property values"
The other problems - discrim-
ination in employment, recreation
and alleged unfair police treat
ment Of Negroes - are all tied in
with the housing situation, auth
critics feel. And in all these areas,
the anti-discriminatory state law
acts as a deterrent.
The most recent member Of the
states with anti-discriminatory
statutes against housing bias is
Maine. Its law, passed last winter
by the state legislature, becomes
effective on Sept. II.
Names action leaves New Ham
pshire alone among the six New
England states without anti-dis-
elimination legislation. Even New
Hampshire has been working on
the problem, however.
Massachusetts, has strong anti
bias laws and a commission es-
tabnshed to enforce them, and so
does Vermont. Rhode Island and
Connecticut are the other New
England states with similar laws.
The Maine law provides that
discrimination by reason Of race,
color. religious creed, ancestry or
national origin at places Of pub
lie accommodation will be punish
able by fines ranging from 800
$500 and Jail sentences Of up to
30 days"
By passing the law, Maine moved
far afield in the field Of race re-
lations, and 1t might well be that
Maine may go even further and
set a pattern for other communi-
ties throughout the nation.
Other northern states with anti
discrimination laws are California,
Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Michigan. Minnesota, Neb-
raska, New York, Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania, Wisconsin, Oregon, and