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Ap ril Bv 1967 The Georgi a State Advi s ory Commi ttee o~ t he U.S . Commi ss io n on Civil Righ t s met a t 9 :30 on Saturday , Apri l 8 , i n t he Old Post- Offi ce Buildi ng . Nine or te n s pe ctat ors we r e pr esent wi t h f our t een me~bers of the Council s i t ti ng . Re v . Os ca r McCloud a ct ed as Chairman in the a bs enc e of Dr. Vivian Hende r s on, Pr es~de nt of Cl a rk College, who was i nvestigat i ng a "s l eep out' 1 a t h is s chool. It se lf;m.i, t b :J s tudents of Clark College pro testi ng t he abs enc e of adequate police pro t e c ~i on decided to sl:ep on Cla r k College's l awn 1 :3ayi ng i t wa s s a fer the r e . First pane l: Rev . Andrew Young--S.C. L. C. ; fil:r. Jae Hend r i cks-- Ge orgj.a Co1.rnr:::i. l on Huma n Re l a tions ; Rev . Amos Holme s--N. A. A.C . P.; Mr s . Clayt on--- Di rector of Hous i ng for American Fr iends Se r vic e Coiur.li ttee; Mr. Co l l i nson--[~ pl oyment, Americ an Fri end s Se rvic e Commi tte e . Tes ti mony--Rev. Andrew Young- - Ghet to and dens i ty a re synorwmous v there are s epa rate application offices f or , Negro and whi te appl i ca nts f or public hous ing i n Atlanta . There is s ubtl e dis cri mi nat ion. He urged fa i r hous ing and open oc cupancy . Te s ti mony--Mr. J oe Hendric ks --Urged true.des egr egation of public ho us i ng , easing of harsh regulations t ha t i mpede t he pooro i n new hous i ng . There is de-fa c t o s egr egation White housing i s cheape r, in (Negr o) Col l ier Heigh ts a $20,000 home would be 816, 000 or $17 ,000 in Buc khead . Negr oe s pay a lar ge r pro por t i on of t heir inc ome f or rent t han whit e s. Test i mony--Rev . Amos Holmes , Vice President, Atlan t a N. A. A. C. P . --There are 5o% of Negroes living on $3000 incomes . t o house displa c ed Negroes. of the land . 9, 800 housing uni t s a re ne eded by De cember 43% of the tota l populati on i s Negr o , us i ng only 2ff~ The N. A. A.C.P. has a sui t pending to withhold funds t o model c it ies until people in affected areas are or there is an abse'n ce of di scrimination . planning board and c onsulted on plans, and �Page Two Testimony--Tfrs. Clayton- - The myt h i s be ing exploded t ha t property val11e :3 go down when Negroes move in. lrs. Clay ton test i fied tha t i n the Cas cade (SW) area an attempt is being made to educate and change att itud es. She found that the re is a dual ma rket, white realto rs, wanting to se ll only to Negroes, put their "ans " in Negro papers. conveni ent housing. Jobs are limited because of failure to obtai n Ad vocate s open hous ing , open occupancy. Test imony- - Mr. Collinson, Re creation-- Urged open housing, open occupancy , Appli cants f or jobs in Doraville , Chamb l ee, e tc. have rea l difficulty get ting t o jobs. Planned recreat ion is difficul t because of prejud ice especial l y in swim.ming . Rev. Andrew Young of Southern Christ i an Leader ship Conference asked t o be heard on Model Cities he testified: In Summe:.- Hill Model cities he co ns i dered that there was no ciitiz ens' participation because no poli cy makers on t he board are area pe ople . Hi gh class mot els and hotels are replacing re s idential areas i.e. Marriot Hotel, etc. There should be a humane pat tern of re-location. exists segregation by class. model ci t ies. There Conc erned citizens can not get information about 221-D-3 housing should be non-profit. Mrs. Stanley of Greater Atlanta Council . on Human Re lations--Testimony. Urged open housing--fai r housing. Told Decatur, Georgia story . Decatur, Negroes are be ing driven out by urban renewal. Said that in In De catur and East Lake because of realtors having sold property i n transitional areas to Negroes signs "For Sale" are prohibited in yards. This ·i s an area of extreme ghetto housing. Rev. Holmes of N. A. A. C.P.--Testimony--Asked to speak agai n, urged citizen participation at policy level by law. An injunctive procedure see if it is di s- criminatory. Mr . Stanton, Housing Dept.--Testimony--One property owner tried to get easement for sewers, una ble to get_ it to improve property because she was Negro. time, whites in like situati ons were _able to do s o, without difficulty. At same �l i Page Three 1. Nor ths i de Drive nea r Ar den Dri ve--Hegroes own property here but the re is concerted attempt to s queeze t hem out because it being of desirable location f or whites. 2. In Capi t ol Homes there i s ove r - cha r ge on rent f rom $50.00 to 370. 00 t o $87 .00, tenant t old t hat because he di d not a ccur a tely report income, he will be evicted in one week. When asked about moving to another hous i ng project nearer to his work tenant told that the only t wo ways a re phys ical condition, and s ize of family. Mr. Edward Moody--Mechanicsville Community leade r asked to be heard. -Tr . Willmore s a id that agenda was filled, but aft er much discuss ion , Mr. Moody was given an appointment at 1:30 P. M. Mr . Samples of the Grass Roots Counci l" als o asked to be heard but later agreed to s ubmit hi s findings in writing for the record. Pa nelt Real Esta t e fr . Bickers ] Mr. Callaway ] both absent Panel--Mrs . Marshall J. Mantler and Dr . Wi t.,_ens t ein of t he American JewL ,h Committee . Mrs . Mantler who is a lic ensed Atlanta realtor t es'":if".ed tlia .. J',:Jw~i a r e excluded f rom s i x sub-divisions in Northwest Atlant a . She said that the r e are subtle ways of exclus ion such a s a c lub syste i n which homes are s old in a c ertain area t o peopl e belonging t o .the c lub. There are restric t ive c lau;es written into deeds . l aw- s uits . 3. 2. These are un- constitutional but most buyers shy away from Another r estr iction on sal e of homes t o Jews i s a n a greement by realtors t o a l low only ten per cent of the homes to be purchas~d by Jews . Dr. Wittenstein-- Testimony--Most of his testimony c orroborated Mrs. Mantler's . Dr . Cothran of the Committee asked Dr. Wittenstein what would happen if a Negro tried to buy a home in a Jewish Community. Drg Wittenstein had to confess that the Jew would move out , the Jews are jqst as prejudiced as the other whites and �Page Four did not de s ire Negro ne i ghbors . Bot. these panelist:~ UY.'i~r::d thr t ,.:r10 Com;~:i. t tEi i~ he l p t o esta bli s h a progr am to a l leviate the J ewish si tua tion (not hi ng was aa · d about the Negr o one) . Mr . Willmore of the Committee was int erested i n k:'.1.owi ng whether any of these l oc ati ons we r e unde r F. H. A. Tol d that they were not, (they were all (nearly a ll) i n the luxury c lass , above F. H. A. Mr. Wat son of t he Communicable Di seases Health Cent er --Tes timony- - He te s tified t hat no Negroes ( staff members ) have been abl e t o get homes or apartments in the area . Negr oes . The r e a re apartme nts on 1orth Decatur Roa d, bu t wi ll not rent t o M~. Wil l more sugges t ed that situatio n and s ee what wi ll ha ppen. tlanta Feder a l Hous i ng be a l erted t o t his He r eminded list eners that any F.H . A. guaranteed l oan a cc ep t ance prohibits di s cr i mination and many of the s e owners refusi ng Negr o leases are cl early i n vio l a tion of the law, under t itle 1 , of the Civi l Ri ght s Ac t . Panel : Mrs. Holloway, Mr s . Caudy, Mr . Billings l ea . Mr s . Holl oway- -Owner i n a changi ne ne i ghborhood- -She lives i n a Southwest Atlanta homep had di ffi cul ty find i ng home, had a Negro realt or f i nnaly bought directly from owne r. Trans i t i ona l area homes a r e usua lly over-priced . There No contact with wlli te ne i ghbors . we r e no ,homes f or sale except hers when she moved in; now th r ee whi te persons have offe r ed t hei r homes f or sale . Mrs . Caudy--Experi enc e very similar; white children s hot B. B. guns :!int o glass door, but have ceased, one white girl tried to be f r iend l y to her daughter and was completely ostracized by .white neighbors. There is a new club going and it is hopeful that some Community spirit can be developed with white neighcors. Mr . Billings lea--A real estate broker testified that Negro real tors a:ren' t really block-busting, they are simply trying to fill a demand of Negroes for better housing and some times when they contact owners in neighborhood this is the only way they can do thiso Panel--Dr. Lee Shelton, Mr~ Haver 9 Mr . Buchwalter. �I I Page Five These three peopl e were living i n a trans·t:on area i n the S. W. sec~i on . Dr. Lee Shel ton--Negro physici an- -Te st imony---Te ~.tified h e simply wanted a nice house wi th room enough f or hi s chi l dren, fo und it only in Wes t Nanor, Audubon Forest in a whi te ne i ghborhood. He has had no trouble. Neighbors a r e f ri endly . Hr. Haver--a public s cho ol t eacher at South- We st High, lives next door to a. Negro. The first ni ght the Negro es moved in he and his wife wne t over t o welcome them, carried a pitcher of tea, said the regro nei ghbors were like them, they did not really know ,·That to expect but they have f ound they a re so alike in so many ways they have · become friends s ocial l y and otherwise. Mr. Buchwalter--a l s o lives in the West Manor area . purchase a hor;ie in a ne i ghborhood like this . f or O.E.O. i n CAP progr am . Dr. Shelton and He came to Atla nta to He has ha d no difficulty. 1 Works r. Haver said the only . regret they have is prejudice in kee ping their boys i n Wes t Manor out of the Little League . Of fici a l s have dropped Wes t anor be cause of the Negro boys ~~i ng in t he League . Recess : Resumed a t 1:30 Edward Moody--Mechanicsvi lle community leader--T1:i·st i mony---l . whe re color begi ns . based progr ams. 4. 3. 2. Righ t:3 end City planners are not consulting people in Atl anta Public housing i s not operated on a non- discriminatory bas i s . This, the Advi s ory Committee, is a good example of prejudice. They have in- vited all these profess ors and off ic ers of organizations, but no gra s s roots pe ople . Panel--Mr. \falte r Scott--Dekabl e real estate broker . 1. Mr. Sco tt said i n his native county, DeKalb, a \·Thi te realtor will not sell a Negro property in a whit e neighborhood. It was brought out that½ of his business is with federally financed F.H.A. home owners that prohibits discrimination. Mr. Scott doubts that DeKalb County would s upport open housing. �Page Si x: 2 : 40--Dr. Vi vi an Henderson arrived and took over the Chairmanshi p . Panel: Mr. Brown--Atlanta Federal Savings & Loan Assoc.p r epr esent i ng white l endi ng a gency. . Test ony--A conimi ttee member · asked Mr. Brm n what ,woul d happen if he, a Negro ~ . .i m . wanted to borrow money from hi s company to buy a home _in a whi te neighborhood . Mr . Brown repli ed that he would be relcutant to l~nd him the money be cause he would not '\'Tant t o upset the peace -. and tranquility of t h e white cornmuni ty . Mr s . Yancey of the Committee told him that suppos i ng the applicant for the l oan were an old custo~er of 20 year s had · an excellent credi t rating and could easily r epay hi s · company . He sai d he would still be r eluctant . Dr. Henderson of the Commi ttee then reminded Mr . Brown that this could also work against him i f the Negro Communi ty f ound out he would not lend the Negro es t he money, t hey woul d r e- a ct aga i nst him. Mr . Brown said in that c ase he woul d l end i t to them . He sai d he believed passage of open housing bill would stiffen the resistance. Hr . Staten--Lawyer--National Bank of Georg-ia-- Testimony--Said there is no policy of discrimination. col or at his bank. Mr . Wilmo r e asked i f they had any junior officers of He admit ted they did not, said there were clerical workers . Mr. Al Henry- -Council on Human Relations--!Iro Henry had contacted 27 realtors from newspaper ads of property in white neighborhoods: 19 out of 27 said they would not sell to Negroes , all the houses were on loans guaranteed by F . H. A. F .H. A. is either a silent or active partner in discrimination. Mr . Hartman--Deputy Director of Federal Hous-ing Authori t y--Testimony-- If we get a complaint we will see that the guilty person is put out of the program . Only one complaint in Georgia since 1962. are white. It was brought that most F.H.A. brokers (These are authorized people dealing with lists of re-sale property under F.H . A.) These are called real estate management brokers. Lists are made up after property has been sold it does n~t give a fair chanceto any outside sales person. There have been s ix sales in predominantly white areas to Neg~oes . �Page Seven Mr. :Moreland Smi th--Southern Regional Counc_:1--'.P.e::itimony--Open h ou ::1i::l.f): a,:J.·,rc:i.:: at ,~d.• , I Mr. Rutledge- - NEDH- -Legisla t ion needed for Comm:L ttee a.gai ns t disc:r:i.r.:i:i. i- at:i.on in hous i ng . Model cities discussed: 1. Havine; a demonstration city t at keeps people in ghetto i s not tlrn, wisest thing . 2. Mode l cities is not a progr am , it is a technique . 3. Segregated hous ing i s caused by 4. Urged real community participation. urban r ene ·ml. Mr. Bob 'I'hompson--Urban Development Dept .--Amidst talk of housing uni ts being built on west s ide exclusively because there is no space, name three possible sites: 1. Canter bury Road--North .of Lenox Road . 2. Railroad .Avenue--Opposite Lenox Squa re. 3. House Road in DeKalb County; could it be leased ? Mr . Persell, Mrs . Paschall, Mr. Cecil Al exander, Mr . Robins on 1. Mr. Cecil Alexander--Do we ' build in t he core or where? Difficult t o work in DeKalb County because they have no "workable " program . 2. Mr. Robinson--The need is for equal opportuni ty non-profi t housing . 3. Mr s . Pas cha ll--The residents of the community' use the term "stabili za t i on" I mean ~pen occupancy . 4. · 5. Mr . Persell--Need f or a total community fai r housing commission. Information should be collected and dis::iemi nated . 6. There should be a moderate income development office. 7. Find houg sand finanoa th -m. �