St. Paul recorder., 1963-01-04
Impact Of Executive
Order To Be Felt
In COMING Years
By ADOLPH j. SLAUGHTER
CAMP Washington Bureau)

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dents order banning discrimina-
ton in housing can change the
face Of the Future South, and The
Nation, If the sanctions outlined
are rigidley enforced.
This was made Enthusiastically
clear at a press conference last
week presided over by Housing
Administrator Robert C. Weaver,
which included his top aides in
the Housing and Home Finance
Agency.
Through slum clearance, public
housing, and urban renewal, es-
pecially, there appears to be little
way for private or governmental
developers to build new, segregated
communities and facilities - at
government expense.
However, the order only affects
contracts entered into by the gov
ernment and local authorities after
Nov. 20, 1862, the day the Presi-
dent signed the housing order.
The immensity, scope and effect
of the order on housing - after
Nov. 20, is staggering.
One major reason why the South
will be so greatly affected, especi-
ally in its urban renewal plans, is
that it is behind the North not
only in submitting plans for re-
newal of its cities, but in actual
housing starts also.
The implications inherent in this
situation were put point blank to
William L. Slayton, commissioner,
Urban Renewal Administration,
when he was asked if southern
cities now submitting plans for
remodeling of their cities did not
conclusively show that rebuilding
was on a desegregated basis, what
would the Administration do?
Slayton replied: ITO be approved
by us they will have to observe the
Executive Order"
The order affects all five major
divisions within the Housing and
Home Finance Agency. They are;
0 The Federal Housing Admin,
istration which insures mortgages
on many different types Of hous,
ing.
0 The Public Housing Admins.
traton which grants subsidies tc
locally-owned housing for low-in'
come families.
. The Urban Renewal Admin.
istration which makes loans and
grants for planning and carrying
out redevelopment projects.
0 The Community Facilities Ad'
ministration which makes low-in'
terest loans to build housing fol
the elderly and dormitories at edu'
cational institutions, and
. The Federal National Mort
gage Association which buys anc
sells government insured or guar
anteed mortgages to finance hous
ing.
At the time the Presidents
order was given, none Of these
agencies had developed or made
public their regulations which
would affect the orders implemen
tation. But at two separate press
conferences, one last week anc
another the week before, the agen
cies made public their regulations
Slayton said his departments
regulations had been sent to the
619 local public agencies engaged
in the federally assisted urban re-
newal program.
In a special letter to these agen'
cies, Slayton included regulations
on types Of discriminatory actor
prohibited, projects affected, lanc
uses affected, public facilities pro.
vided as non-cash local grants-in'
aid, contract requirements, and ef'
feet on pending applications fol
federal assistance to carry out
renewal projects.
Similar detailed regulations have
been sent to field offices of the
other agencies, excepting the Fed
eral National Mortgage Associa'
ton which, DR.. Weaver explained
was unnecessary because FNMA
deals only in mortgages which
are covered by the regulations OF
the Federal Housing Administra-
ton or the Veterans Administra-
ton"
1t is the language Of the reg'lla-
tons which gives hope to those
who seek an end to discriminatory
housing and who have wondered If
the Administration was sincere" ="
In describing Types Of Discrim-
inatory Action Prohibited" slay-
tons letter states categorically:
Discrimination because Of race,
color, creed, or national origin in
the sale, leasing, rental, or other
disposition of affected real prop
erty, or in the use or occupancy
of such property, is prohibited by
this letter.
1T should be noted that this
prohibits such discrimination In
any form, not merely through dis
criminatory written instruments,