The Detroit tribune., 1962-09-29
Leadership, Financial Bios
Causes Of HOUSING Ills

In other cities The condition prevails.
as il does in Detroit" that is described in the
Excerpts From The United States Commission
On Civil Rights Report Book a (Housing) re-
ferred TO previously: THE Commission has
found evidence of raeiaIIy discriminatory
practices by mortgage lending insttu-
tions -"
Here lies the real "cvil of the situation"
the means employed generally in our
country for the production of housing is
denied to us 'n this area"
He said, in some cities Negro leadership
has established financial institutions that
are interested" in advancement of the Me-
gro community and in these areas there is
housing "planncd, financed and constructed
by Negroes for Negroes. In addition to such
spectacular developments as Indian Ridge
in Birmingham, Ala. Housing in this COM
munity ranges from about $35 600 to about
sl25 .0O0;" and the impressive, nearby Hon
eysuckle Hill subdivision, thousands OF low
and middle income homes. beautifully ar
ranged on Winding drives" the Gary, Indiana
project that produced "a middle income COM
munitv of brick homes, also S5O0OOO
church." very near shopping center buS-
ness district" less than ten minutes from
downtown stands as an example OF what can
be done "within a community when 'unblas-
ed lending institutions and Negro leadership
concerned with the erection OF homes Tor Ne
gro families are recognized as needs and ''ac-
ccptcd by both races.
"Furthcr. those Negro brokers, assuming
leadership roles. who are striving for asSmi-
lation on the basis of their success III eX-
plotting Negro buyers for white sellers can
not be considered TO represent the pest III
tcrests of the so-calIed Negro community.
"It is ridiculous for Negro brokers to:
Il deny active blockbuStng when inc
record shows that some of them, AIDED py
scare message mailed in the name OF the MA
ACP, attempted to get listings by implying
TO owners of property in an all while cohi-
munity that the social aspirations OF Negro
families would be among the considerations
that would amount to an exhorbltant price
for their property;
"2 expect the attitudes of the wnlte COM
munitv TO be legislatoi or hurredy educated
in such a manner as to force them 10 deSire
Negroes, or anyone else, as neIghpors 'ha'
they do not themselves choose to be assocla-
ted with;
"3. insist upon a white family selhne
their home to Negro family when the OWL
ers NAV have spent ten years OF their llVes
as wei. as their family fortune IN plaiii'l's'
developing. constructing, decorating ana iahu-
scaping the home to adequately meet 'hen
needs as a family.
Beautiful homes don't just happen 'hey
arc very carefully planned.
According to a recent publication Ine
fear was expressed at meeting oi tne DC
troit Real Estate Brokers Association that 'hey
could not survive wholesome atmosphere
in the housing market. This is as II snouio
be. IL they were fulfilling their responslDlil'y
to the community as a whole, the present
condition would not exist. i.
Support from the Negro community anu
a cooperative lending institution would re-
suit in a development by and for Negroes
that some white persons would be prouo -