1 20 1 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/e5a5e1b8d65c071d96c80fb3da4f625b.pdf?Expires=1779321600&Signature=ewI9Nu5Ue0KoJY2YnDKXpzm4nFd2lB1fneqok1q1gbMMD8eCn1h6ZtRR-Fpux2IpAk-P4sG6GgMPhprzH89u0cYkW0bhFw5A6IDOqDnJUjL0lekSIA51-pEsZQw5Od5NSswHcfJdrdqb-InPUdwsk1E%7Eoovvmn9J3Ba4Z4SCldW2izTWRQGtN20tBA9xLsVwZ-wM-vhRHZxbd6B4XhMSb2mOZST-qWi27usQdgT1P4qaJAqRtzWxZDBAa91BwWd2V1-boq79dn%7EAq2bI6CfTBpbVZv6pq2Q15ClIPPaQvee7oPgk1ujePY9eaYJC5koQBUX96EmAqSVrGtrdtDaviw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM e1d5030fc94ff3a38746c31fc8259f74 PDF Text Text BNI'S RESPONSE TO PROGRAM EVALUATION OF BNI BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE GREATER BALTIMORE COMMITTEE • The Executive Committee of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc., has given careful and respectful consideration to the report on BNI by the Community Development Subcommittee of the Greater Baltimore Committee. BNI welcomes constructive criticism and any impartial efforts to evaluate its work, especially from GBC with its proven and successful record of concern for and achievement in the Baltimore area. It is therefore with considerable regret that we feel constrained to take issue with the subcommittee report. We find it inconclusive, confusing and profoundly lacking in understanding of the necessary and unavoidable interrelation between the economic and civil rights approach to the open housing problem. They are, in fact, inseparable. To quote from the report, "Therefore, it is the opinion of the subcommittee that BNI's current program should be changed from that of a civil rights organization to that of an agency concerned about integrated but stabilized neighborhoods." We are, frankly, unable to fathom even the meaning of this statement. In a vast metropolitan area in which most neighbor- hoods, especially those so-called integrated neighborhoods, are in a state of continuous flux, where is there anything as static as an "integrated but stabilized neighborhood?" Since the problem is metropolitan in scope, any effort to deal with it must concern itself with neighborhoods that vary from all-black inner-city ghettos to all-white, upper class suburban communities. Each neighborhood, in its own way, is �-2- part of the housing problem in the economic, legal and moral sense. vie repeat, they are inseparable. We recognize the economic e :.~phasis that was implied in BNI' s creation in 1959, at a time when blockbusting, panic and speculation were changing neighborhoods overnight and rapidly destroying the tax base, not to mention the social fabric, of Baltimore City. There was a need at that time for an organization with a strong empahasis on stemming the destructive racial turnover. This need still exists insofar as there are neighborhoods in which such activity is still effective. Meanwhile many other changes were taking place that necessitated new approaches, new techniques and new expansion of BNI's activities. The subcommittee report compares BNI's report in May, 1964 to the GBC Urban Renewal Subcommittee, with the 1969 grant proposal to the Ford Foundation The comparison is made so as to show unfavorably the expanded scope of BNI activities in 1969 . The 1969 proposal refers to the fair housing councils created by BNI in the suburbs, an activity that did not exist in 1964. And yet this is a logical extension of BNI's efforts in the city. There is lit tle hope of any long-range balancing of the housing market if the suburbs are not prepared to welcome and even seek black neighbors. The so-called white noose exists and is part and parcel of the deterioration of the city. There is the additional fact that by 1969 housing discrimination had become illegal under Federal law (Of which more below). �-3The 1969 grant proposal cites the processing of complaints through conciliation and legal services. The GBC subcommittee report states "However, to think that filing a complaint here and there is going to solve the problem of changing neighborhoods is unrealistic and naive." W find this statement itself naive. e First, BNI's complaints have in innumerable documented cases put an end to discriminatory pr.actices. How do you eliminate injustice or lawbreaking unless you c omplain? that's only ~ Do you say "Well, injustice so we'll overlook it?" But the "complaints here and there" reach far beyond the individual injustice that is righted Many of BNI's complaints have been highly publicized by t he Baltimore news media (files on request) so that their effec t is disseminated throughout the metropolitan area and cannot help but change attitudes and awareness everywhere. The education campaign to inform black citizens of their rights under the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1968 did not exist in 1964 for a very simple reason. By court interpretation (in the case of the 1866 act) and by Congressional statute these laws existed in 1969 and did not exist in 1964. Knowledge of these laws is basic to any open housing movement. The work with the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore was starting in 1964 and was beginning to bear fruit in 1969. In 1971 the Real Estate Board may bec ome the first in the United States to give formal,open support to a fair housing organization. W ould the GBC have BNI abandon this project? �-4The other activities cited in the Ford Foundation proposal are not essentially different from those in 1964 and the subcommittee does not express any significant objection to them. To sum up these goals, in the opinion of BNI's Board of Directors and staff, there is no chance to stabilize neighborhoods inside the city on an integrated basis unless blacks have real and substantial access to housing in the suburbs. To try to accomplish neighborhood stabilization in the city is not only impractical as a simple matter of mathematics, relating available housing t o the increasing black population, but in fact it borders on the immoral since it would tend to fur ther restrict the housing available to blacks, already in short supply President N~~on Even recognized the importance of opening the suburbs in his recent address on housing as did the Kerner Commission (Report, page 473) and any number of other knowledgeable persons in this field from a broad spectrum of political persuasions. The remainder of this respon se statement will treat in detail the GBC subcommittee report. (1) In our opinion: The report ignores the proposal made to the Ford Foundation for "A Concerted Inter-Agency Effort to Eliminate Racial Discrimination in Housing in the Baltimore area." This proposal envisions a three way partnership between BNI GBHDC and HCD. In a letter to the Ford Foundation dated October 17, 1969, the Executive Director of GBC indicated that on September 12, 1969 the Execu tive Committee of GBC agreed to join BNI and HCD in the proposal. In a letter of October 2, 1969 the Mayor of Baltimore gave his endorsement to the proposal. �-5In the pro.po.sal is an extensive descriptio.n o.f BNI's current pro. I t has been made kno.wn to. the Executive Directo.r o.f GBC gram . en numero.us o.ccasio.ns that BNI co.ntinues to. actively seek the funding o.f this pro.po.sal . The o.nly mentio.n o.f the Fo.rd Fo.undatio.n pro.po.sal made in the "pro.gram evaluatio.n" is to. quo.te fro.m it en page 6 the list o.f BNI's current activities. (2) The repo.rt too. narro.w l y interprets the o.riginal purpo.se o.f BNI and its wo.rk in the entire years o.f its existence. Even in the May 1964 repo.rt to. the GBC Urban Renewal Sub co.mm ittee wherein BNI cited its majo.r achievements (quo.ted en page 4 and 5 o.f the "pro.gram evaluatio.n") fo.ur o.f its seven cita tio.ns had to. do. with eliminating racial discriminatio.n, o.r its effects, in ho.using. This can be further substantiated by reference to. the histo.rical reco.rds o.f BNI and its early by -laws . (3) The repo.rt is gro.ssly deficient in its understanding o.f what is needed to. assist in stabilizing racially changing neighbo.rho.o.ds and in pro.tecting the tax base o.f the city. It cites no. study o.f hew ether cities have tried to. stabilize changing neighbo.rho.o.ds. It do.es no.t seem to. take into. acco.unt such valuable reso.urces as the Kerner Co.mmissio.n Repo.rt, James L. Hecht's bo.o.k en o.pen ho.using entitled "Because It Is Right" which was leaned to. GBC fer backgro.und reading, etc. The study do.es net explain hew neighbo.rho.o.d stab i lizatio.n co.uld be achieved witho.ut the creatio.n o.f an o.pen ho.using market. It makes a false dico.to.my between "alo.ng eco.no.mic lines" and civil rights. The plain and o.verwhelming fact is that there canno.t be a stable integrated neighbo.rho.o.d witho.ut an o.pen ho.using market �-6and without the obtaining of full civil rights in housing by minority families. BNI emphasises support of the Federal open housing (and now the State) laws because such laws are the only effective tools pragmatically available to create an open housing market. An individual complaint successfully handled increases public awareness and causes institutional change. (4) The report overstates the alternative methods now available to the work of BNI. It is simply not a fact that the churches have "picked up the lead on the moral ques tion . " Rather the Churches have for the most part retreated from the problem with the exception of their support of the work of BNI and certain .< • inner city projects to help solve ghetto problems. The City Human Relations Commission does ·not have the authority to handle complaints of housing dis.criminat ion and refers them to BNI . On July 1, 1971 the Maryland Commis sion on Human Relations will have a State open housing law to work with which will parallel Federal law However at the moment it has no extra staff or funds to handle complaints. budget will no doubt be A modest increase in staff and forthcomin~ in the future but even so there are vital services that BNI can do to increase the effectiveness of the Commission such as getting evidence that discrimination actually took place . BNI staff has discussed this with key staff of the State Commission and they fee l that this service would be of great help . BNI is already performing such services in the Baltimore area for the Equal Opportunity Office of H.U.D. �-7It has also been the national experience that governmental agencies by themselves, and even if adequately staffed and financed, have not been very effective or positive in enforcing open housing. laws without the support and prodding of the open housing movement. Unless the law is vigorously enforced there will be greatly increased cynicism among Blacks, youth and others as to the validity of law as a way to obtain rights and/or change with a resulting serious and negative impact on our democratic way of life. (5) The report ignores that bitterness over the lack of civil rights and equal opportlffiity in the Baltimore area was one of the causes of the Baltimore riots . These in turn have had a most detrimental impact upon the economy and tax base of Baltimore City. Not only has the down town area been affected but many whites have had a greatly strengthened desire to leave the city. Unless such civil rights and equal opportunities are forthcoming, the bitterness, rage and frustration of Baltimore's Black Community may well boil over into additional riots. there will At the very least be growing tenseness in the school system and within various governmental units of the city. BNI's concern for civil rights is part of its work to help the Black community keep faith that responsible and peaceful change at a reasonable pace is a possibility. (6) Most surprisingly the report has been completed without adequate contact with BNI. During the six month evaluation period the contact with BNI was limited to: GBC's staff person having lunch with the Executive Director of BNI; attending an Executive �-8Committee meeting of BNI (to observe and not ask questions); to several brief telephone conversations with officers and staff; and the obtaining of some general public relations material. There was no extensive interview of staff as to the detai l s of BNI's operations, no examination of BNI records or minutes (at least in the BNI office) and no significant questioning of philosopy or program policy. tenor of the report. there BNI was totally unavlare of the Had the question been asked as to whether had been a significant change of emphasis and if so why, BNI wou l d have stated that its basic emphasis of concern for stabi l ized neighborhoods and an open housing market rema i ned the . same, but it had concentrated more on the establishment of an open housing market for the following reasons: (a) Its inadequate resources demanded a priority and BNI concentrated upon the area of obtaining open housing because it felt it could be most effective ~ere ~. (b) The nature of the problem of changing neighborhcods was changing. In the early days there was panic, neighbor - hood tension and open hostility. BNI was a fireman putting out brush fires (also trying to achieve institutiona l change in the housing industry, etc. but the process was a very slow one). By the advent of the present staff in 1967 the process with a few exceptions had changed from a pan i c hostility reaction to slow attrition and a grudging acceptance of the inevitable. BNI has been working to ga i n real estate industry support for changing neighborhoods and changes in practices which tho ugh legal may hurt such neighborhoods . �-9 ( c) Neighborhood stabili zation involves not only an open housing market and community acceptance of integration but maintenance ..of good schools, community services, proper zoning, etc . This necessitates an intensive, overall approach to concentrated city areas with an adequate staff who identify with a particular area and stay with it . BNI ' s two man staff could only help one area for a limited time in one aspect of the problem. Part i cular city areas can be better helped by such groups as NECO, the Northwest Baltimore Corporation, Gr eater Homewood Corporation, etc. BNI can in turn be of he lp to t hese community organization groups by : i. ii. creating an open housing market "trouble shooting" with the local group's cooperation and request if there is racial unrest in the area because of housing integration . iii. bringing the integrated neighborhoods of these areas together in a coalition to help each other by sharing experiences, problems, and successes . The publication of the Integrated Neighborhoods Manual is a first step in this direction. BNI recognizes the complexity of the hous i ng situation as it relates to open housing, stabilized neighborhoods, moderate income housing supply, insti tutio nal change, basic human relations and has in some way been involved in every aspect of the problem. Indeed BNI c an be most criticized for being involved in so a mbitious and comprehensive a program with such limited staff �• - 10 - and budget. Questions can fairly be raised as to adequate follow through and adequate staff support for the various aspects of its program. Even more telling would be the question as to why BNI hasn ' t in the most militant terms possible told the Baltimore community that there will be no truly open housing market, nor stabilized neighborhoods, or racial peace, without a considerable increase in funds for the activities of gro ups like BNI, CPHA, and the various community organization gro ups . In answer to these questions BNI can only ec~ept such valid criticism and plead that various legitimate pressures have necessitated such a broad program; that it has increased "staff" outreach through the use of such creative volunteers as John Michener; that it knows it needs more staff and funds and has approached the Ford Foundation and GBC for this purpose . To militantly accuse the general community of dereliction of duty for not being more aware of the needs of groups like BNI and the responsi bility for more adequately supporting them, would "turn off" more potential support than it would gain . Ins tead BNI looks to GBC for leadership in ways that such organizations might be financed . It commends GBC for the concept of an "Urban Funds Program" and pled ges every cooperation and support for the speedy implementation of such a concept. In closing may it be emphasized that BNI has always enjoyed a close relationship with GBC and its staff, appreciated their personal interest and support over the years, and hopes that such a close relationship will continue in the future. �-11- • POSTSCRIPT The Community Development Subcommittee notes that both CPHA and BNI "have adopted a joint statement of agreement on cooperation and possible eventual merger." It recommends t hat : · "Bal timore Neighborhood s and the Ci tizens Planning and Housing Association aggressively and positively explore a merger." BNI and CPHA continue to work closely together. The "cooperation" and "merger " proposal was sidetracked by CPHA ' s problem with the almost complete change over in its staff and the new Executive Director's need for concentration on immediate agency problems. BNI regards the possibility of a merger in a positive manner but only if such a merger will result in significantly increased community support - especially from the business community. Both agencies work with grossly inadequate budgets and it would be disastrous for the community to consider such a merger as a way to save money. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Subject The topic of the resource Discrimination in housing Nonprofit organizations Citizens' associations Baltimore Metropolitan Area (Md.) African Americans Housing Baltimore (Md.) Community organization Reports Correspondence Newsletters Description An account of the resource This exhibit provides an introduction to the work of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. (BNI) around issues of racial integration in housing and tenants' rights from the 1950s to the 2000s. Established in 1958, Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. was formed to promote an open housing market and viable integrated neighborhoods in the Baltimore area. It was established by several neighborhood associations and supported by civic organizations like the Greater Baltimore Committee. The early focus of the organization was to obtain open housing and stable neighborhoods during a period of widespread white flight and blockbusting in Baltimore City. Through education and advocacy, it sought to counter racial prejudice, to fight discrimination in the real estate industry, and to combat neighborhood deterioration resulting from segregated housing. More recently, BNI has focused on tenant-landlord relations and renters' rights. The Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. (BNI) collection at the University of Baltimore consists of 22 linear inches of archival records, which are described in an online collection database. The complete collection has also been digitized at the folder level and is also available in the collection database. For this exhibit, 32 documents have been selected from the complete collection. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="https://langsdale.ubalt.edu/special-collections/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Special Collections &amp; Archives, University of Baltimore</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://archivesspace.ubalt.edu/repositories/2/resources/14" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baltimore Neighborhoods, Incorporated Records, UB Special Collections &amp; Archives</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available <a href="https://langsdale.ubalt.edu/special-collections/">University of Baltimore Special Collections &amp; Archives</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1958-2009 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This material may be quoted or reproduced for personal and educational purposes without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given. When crediting the use of portions from this site or materials within that are copyrighted by us, please use the citation: "Used with permission of the University of Baltimore Special Collections & Archvies." Any commercial use of this material is prohibited without prior permission from the Special Collections & Archives, University of Baltimore. Commercial requests for use of the images or related text must be submitted in writing to: Special Collections & Archives, University of Baltimore, H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons, 1415 Maryland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text/pdf Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context R0015-BNI Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2019-09 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 32 items Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Paper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource BNI's Response to Program Evaluation of BNI by the Community Development Subcommittee of the Greater Baltimore Committee Description An account of the resource Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. responds to an assessment by the Community Development Subcommittee of the Greater Baltimore Committee Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1971 Subject The topic of the resource Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Greater Baltimore Committee, Inc. Nonprofit organizations Evaluation Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc., Executive Committee Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available University of Baltimore Special Collections & Archives Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context bni06.01.44a Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Baltimore Neighborhoods, Incorporated Records (R0015-BNI), series VI, box 1, folder 44, Special Collections & Archives, University of Baltimore Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Use of this digital material is governed by U.S. copyright law. The University of Baltimore Special Collections and Archives makes digital surrogates of collections accessible if they are in the public domain, the rights are owned by the University of Baltimore, the Special Collections and Archives has permission to make them accessible, or there are no known restrictions on use. Due to the nature of archival collections, rights information is not always discernible. The Special Collections and Archives is eager to hear from any rights owners wishing to provide accurate information. Upon request, material will be removed from view while a rights issue is addressed. Contact the Special Collections and Archives for more information regarding this image. Baltimore Neighborhoods Evaluation Greater Baltimore Committee Inc. Nonprofit organizations