Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-12
ParkfairfaxHousinq
Opened toNegroes
1880 Apartments
Involved in Huge
Virginia Area

Alexandria huge ParKIalr-
fax apartment development is
being opened to Negroes and
other nop-white tenants by
the owners, the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Co.
The announcement by Metro
politan yesterday that it will
accept Negroes in all its prof.
ects was hailed as a major
breakthrough" in Negro at
tempts to obtain better housing
by Roy wilkins, executive
secretary Of the National AS
ISOLATION for the Advancement
of Colored People.
Parkfairfax is the only
Metropolitan project in the
Washington area. The 1890
unit development, constructed
during World War II when the
Washington areas population
exploded beyond the capacity
Of existing housing, lies a few
miles southwest Of Washington
in northern Virginia.
There was no immediate COM
ment from Parkfairfax execu-
tives, but it is known that the
development normally has a
long waiting list, as do most
of Metropolitan's other apart
ment properties.
Biggest Landlord
Metropolitan, with assets Of
$40 billion, is the Nations big
gest landlord and is q prime
lender of money for housing
developments. 1t made its stand
known in a joint statement in
New York with the NAACP.
Metropolitan said it was "re-
affirming" its long established
policy of non-discrimination."
No integration has taken place
heretofore at Metropolitan pro-
jects, however.
I'VE are ready to go down
the line on this" a Metropoli-
tan spokesman said yesterday.
IF a Negro is a qualified ten
ant and there is a vacancy for
him, he will be given an apart
ment whether it is in Alex
andria, Va, or Parkchester Tin
the Bronx or anywhere else"
Standards Cited
In addition to Parkfairfax,
Metropolitan operates the
Parkchester, Peter Cooper VII
lage and Stuyvesant Town,
which house $4,000 persons in
New York; the Parklabrea in
Los Angeles and the Park
MERGED in San Francisco. All
told, metropolitan has 34,170
families in East and West
Coast housing projects.
One Negro family is sched-
uled to move into the Park
chester soon.
THE only way tenants will
be selected" said the Metro
politan spokesman, sis on the
basis of meeting our standards
as responsible tenants who are
good credit risks and good
housekeepers. If there is any
difficulty because Of this, re-
sponsible authorities will be
called upon to uphold the law.
But we are going ahead, in
maintaining a policy of nom
discrimination. That is IT,"
Metropolitan said all its
projects have long waiting lists.
Some Negroes waiting for va
cancies at the all Negro
Riverton in Harlem may be
offered apartments in other
New York developments, the
company spokesman said.
Metropolitan said the policy
Of non-discrimination also APP
plies to employment and in
vestment. The company has
thousands Of employees, includ-
ing hundreds of Negro clerical
workers, particularly in New
York.
Averts Picketing
AS one Of the Nations richest
firms, Metropolitan is heavily
involved in mortgage and
money-lending operations.
Negroes long have complained
they pay a special premium
when they borrow money for
a business or a home mortgage,
In substance, the announce
ment averted the threat of
picketing and demonstrations
at Peter Cooper, Stuyvesant
Town and Parkchester. These
vast developments in New
York had been targeted for q
massive Indignation drive by
the NAACP Youth Council.