1 20 2 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/06a20d020491c6d9f80baa80ac595e72.pdf?Expires=1776902400&Signature=sRvWf2tpWhrKjfwGajU4Lo7nzfGW79KhnMj3%7EW%7EbqLOXqDzwkIwLvtH9Rf%7ELF1CTj4JPGN3ZDJzH6RUjzHeD9Zij9kc2b%7ETgZbgD7FZ6dPDQGFupBYU8RLB-OrgVzUR2NzjGNCC0AF3WDTjHlcORjcBq2pJvGpHGq6kmj-rv%7E8GhgufV%7Eu1nQ1PuEWRz-4pHkUPfiPUndEoZjZJQtPwsr4ShTkUXXWg8Wj40qeWll8uLo4a%7Eg861GNcHty6TuQzTWU-eqLtpeG6u7wCIWmReiFOX03XQoZR5g1bKLSeEDkDteC13ZRO72nmJsd7nHd9lLCaghkyFa1cBCQztH9Sz3w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM c6d74ccaefc235a00282d654fa212d13 PDF Text Text 1 November I, 1971 At the December, 1970 meeting of its Executive ee , the Greater Baltimore Committee was requested by Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. (BNI) to evaluate the effectiveness of the BNI program and to suggest ways to strengthen its financial basis. The Executive Committee agreed to BNI's request and referred the matter to the Community Development Subcommittee. The members of the Community Development Subcommittee are: Mr. G. Cheston Carey, Jr., Chairman President Carey Machinery & Supply Company Mr. Merrill L. Bank Executive Vice President Maryland Cup Corporation , Mr. B. B. Dunwoody Manager of Sales Bethlehem Steel Corporation Mr. Alexander S. Cochran Partner Cochran, Stephenson & Donkervoet Mr. Francis X. Gallagher Senior Partner Gallagher, Evelius & Jones .Mr. Thomas B. Hess President Hess Shoes Mr. John D. Schapiro President Boston Netals Company Mr. Guy T. O. Hollyday Mr. John W. Steffey Chairman of the Board Charles H. Steffey, Inc. Mr. Louis B. Kohn, II Chairman of the Board Hochschild, Kohn & Company Mr. James J. McIntyre Partner Price Waterhouse & Company Mr. Charles A. Mullan President Mullan Contracting Company Mr. M. D. Munger Vice President, Eastern Region Montgomery Ward & Company Mr. Jason W. Stockbridge President Central Savings Bank Mr. Sidney H. Tinley, Jr. President and Treasurer Weaver B ,ros., Inc. Mr. Charles E. Williams President and Chairman of the Board Baltimore Federal Savings & Loan Association �-2• The Subcommittee completed its first report on June 4, 1971 and submitted it to the Executive Committee on , . : ~:':. The r ~· ~ ·.' rt con t ained two recommendations: The first recommendation was that BNI should change its major program emphasis from that of servicing individual complaints of housing discrimination to emphasizing neighborhood stabilization efforts. The second recommendation was to request th~. United Fund to explore the possibility of creating a central fund, separate from the regular Fair Share Campaign, which would fund indigenous neighborhood organizations, such as BNI. The Executive Committee accepted the United Fund approach to the financial problems of groups SUC!I as BNI, but tabled and sent back to the Subcommittee the recommendation concerning BNI's program. The principal reason for tabling the recommendation was that BNI had expre3 s ed serious objections to the evaluation and wanted to meet with the Subcommittee before the Execut-ive Committee took ' action on the report. Since that time, the Community Development Subcommittee has met several times to consider the objections raised by BNI to the June report. To that end, the subcommittee has met with the following pers6ns: Mr. Dwight K. Bartlett, President Baltimore Neighbo~hoods, _ InC. �• -3Mr. John C. Sawhill, Vice President Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Mr . Robert o. Bonnell, Jr., Vice President Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Mrs. Philip M. Darling, Chairman Long Range Planning Committee Baltimore Neighborhhods, Inc. Mr. George B. Laurent, Executive Director Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Mr. James L. Hecht, Executive Dupont Chemical Company and Author of the Book, Because It Is Right Mr. David L. Glenn, Director Baltimore CityHuman Relations Commission Mr. Treadwell O. Phillips, Executive Director Maryland Commission Human Relations Also, the GBC staff has interviewed the following persons: Mr. Steve M. Kahoe, Jr., Executive Director Real Estate Commission, of Maryland Department of Licensing and Regulation Mr. C. willis Hammond, Executive Vice President Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore Mr. James H. Harvey, Executive Director Housing Opportunities Council of Metropolitan Washington Washington, D. C. Mr. Edward L. Holmgren, Executive Director Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities Chicago, Illinois Mr. Wesley Martin, Director Community Development Division __ _Metro ' Housi,ng c::ente c ___ ,__ , _ Denver, Colora,d o �-4Using the knowledge of the preceding investigation, the Subcommittee undertook an in-depth look at the realistic prospec t s o f BNI ' s c u r ren t p rog ram accomplishing the goals of open housing and stabilizing neighborhoods in the Metropolitan Baltimore Area. Other important considerations of this study have been: 1) The possible duplication of effort with other public and private agencies; 2) funding difficulties faced by BNI. 3) the recent enactment and strength of State and Federal efforts to enforce open housing laws. • ( This report traces the results of this investigation and contains findings and recommendations which the Subcommittee feels are critical to the future operations of BNI. At the outset, the Subcommittee wishes to point out that it strongly supports BNI and its efforts to work for equal housing opportunities in the Baltimore area. There was unanimous agree~ ment among the persons who appeared before the Subcommittee and those interviewed by the staff that BNI was providing a much needed service in the Baltimore area. The efforts r equired to stabilize racially-changing neighborhoods, create new housing opportunities for blacks in the suburbs and work cooperatively with the real estate industry are difficult at best. Yet BNI has performed these functions as well as could possibly be expe cted in light of its limited staff and financing. It is in this supportive attitude that the Subcommittee makes this report on BNI. �-5HISTORY The Greater Baltimore Committee was instrumental in the fo nna tion of BNI i n the late 1950's. DUring that decade, Baltimore City's black population increased by 100,000 while its white population decreased by 113,000. The business leadership of the community was concerned about the problem of raciallychanging neighborhoods because of the serious social and economic implications of such change. In July of 1958, some thirty groups petitioned the Greater Baltimore Committee for aid in dealing with the problem of changing neighborhoods. Part of that petition is as follows: "Recently, area after area of substantial detached homes in Baltimore's finest residential sections have been undergoing rapid changes from white to Negro occupancy. This has been taking place in Windsor Hills, Ashburton, Howard Park, Forest Park, Gwynn Oak, Arlington, Pimlico, Irvington, Montebello and Northwood. "Even in these fine neighborhoods, the traditional pattern of neighborhood change has continued. First, there is occupancy by a few Negro families. Almost immediately the area becomes 'off limits' to new white purchasers. According to the representatives of the improvement associations, the primary efforts of real estate agents become directed to sales to the Negro community or to speculators in Negro housing. The white residents panic and move out---almost invariably to the suburbs. The market is glutted even beyond the area of Negro demand. Desirable homes which cannot be sold either to white or Negro home owners simply deteriorate: Financially stable home mvners are replaced by renters---usually of mtich lower means." �-6- The signator ~ esalso , felt that if the inner city should become a community of totally low-income families, regardless of race, it was likely that Charles Center, the Civic Center and the cultural facilities of the city would be less attractive to the major portion of their potential users. If the market for downtown business were to falloff, the assessable base and tax revenues would also decline, causing the financial position of the city to further deteriorate. The GBC recognized that this request touched one of . the most important economic problems facing the city. It also recognized that the dimensions of the problem were very complex and far-reaching and therefore the Urban Renewal Subcommittee agreed to study the problem in conjunction with other civic, business and governmental groups in the City. The Urban Renewal Subcommittee, after three months of study, recommended that the GBC sponsor an all-day seminar for realtors, financial institutions and other interested community groups with the objective that a priva te agency be established to effectively combat the problem. On November 25, 1958, a conference entitled, "Changing Neighborhoods" was held. The result of the meeting was the calling �-7for the establishment of a permanent private agency with adequate staff and finances to carry out an effective program. stated, .....e pt.:cpO~E:lS Briefly o f t h. pl.ogram were to prevent the rapid turnover in neighborhoods from an all-white to an all-black population, to prevent the white population from fleeing to the suburbs, to find decent housing for blacks and to keep in-city neighborhoods attractive enough to induce more white people to move into these neighborhoods. The formation of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. soon followed the all-day 'conference, with the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation approved by the member qroups on March 20, 1959. ,,' In its beginning the announced principal thrust of BNI was to prevent the erosion of property values and the City's tax base. Because the country then lacked any enforced Federal laws prohibiting racial discrimination in housing, the work of .BNI had to be based on a moral point of view or an appeal to residents in changing neighborhoods that the primary cause of declining property values was "white fear and panic." During its early years, BNI attempted to provide a frame-work for stabilization so that complete changeover from all-white to all-black did not 9ccur. Its activities were primarily in the area of residential integration and not race _ ___ ... ... .. _ .. _... ._.....1 .. _ . ._.. _ . relations or discrimination as such. .-.- "-' -' - 1 Minutes of the Research Advisory Committee of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc., December 28, 1961. �-8It worked closely with neighborhood improvement associa- tions, the churches, the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore and other ~ ~vic groups. Ehe Civ i l rights movement was gathering momentum in the early 1960's and provided great assistance to BNI in achieving important changes. In its May, 1964 report to the GBC Urban Renewal Subcommittee, BNI stated that its major achievements were: Encouraging white buyers to purchase homes in racially mixed neighborhoods (nearly one hundred sales were executed by 1964, in addition to a large number of rentals), preventing panic and flight following the first move-in of black families in such communities as Northwood, Woodbourne, Glen Burnie, Idlewood and Woodmoor, thus averting blockbusting (with its consequent effect on values and prices) and the rapid formation of new ghettos, drafting and obtaining passage and enforcement of an anti-blockbusting ordinance by the City Council. securing the support of the Real Eptate Board and the newspapers to eliminate racial designations in real estate advertising. meeting with the Neighborhood Committee of the Real Estate Board and other groups to discuss their su~port �-9- of a vo~untary policy of open occupancy; launching a Good Neighbor Pledge campaign to indicate •• ~ ::: ~! ~ ~? ~~ P~ of r esid ~ ~ t s of white neighborhoods to accept neighbors regardless of race; and helping a number of black families find homes outside the traditional ghettos. RECENT ACTIVITIES In the years between 1964 and 1971, BNI has continued a strong and aggressive campaign to ensure equal housing opportunities for all citizens. During these years, BNI was instrumental in creating twelve Fair Housing Councils in the suburban metropolitan area. These councils work in neighborhoods to persuade local residents that open housing is the law and that blacks can and should be part of the neighborhood. The councils also help to allay the fears of potential black renters or buyers by being ready to welcome them into the neighborhood should they decideto rent or buy a home in the area. BNI has continued its coope rative work with the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore and is now formally represented on the Real Estate Board's Neighborhoods Co~ ~ittee. Also, at BNI's initiative, the Home Builders Association of Maryland, the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore, H.U.D. and BNI jointly sponsored an Open Housing Booth at the Maryland State Fair, this �-10- T~jg w~s the first such cooperative venture in Maryland and may well be the first in the country. In 1968, Congress passed the Federal Civil Rights Act banning discrimination based on race, religion, color or national origin in the sale or rental of housing. Also in 1968, a Supreme Court decision upheld the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1866. These two acts made open housing the law of the land, and since that time a major part of BNI's program has been the -processing of individual complaints concerning allegations of housing discrimination. This work has resulted in several realtors and licensed individuals being fined, suspended or reprimanded by either the Federal Courts, H.U.D. or the Maryland Real Estate Commission. Another part of BNI's more recent activities has been an effort to educate the black community as to its rights under the Federal Civil Rights Acts. Recently, BNI hired a student from Morgan State College to help in this effort. BNI's work in racially-changing neighborhoods continues to be part of its work program but no longer occupies the primary emphasis it once did. In fact, BNI is called upon only one or two times per year'---to~nelp in -ti6uble- situatiOhs; - �-11- ORGANIZATION AND FINANCING The Rub~ommittee is well aware of BNI's limited staff and financial resources. In 1971, its budget is $39,732. OVer the years BNI has always had difficulty meeting its projected budget with the consequent result that needed staff are not hired and/or needed programs are not initiated. BNI has always had to depend on a large number of volunteers to operate its broad activities. The Subcommittee understands that of the two paid staff members, the Executive Director spends the majority of his time on fund-raising efforts and administrative matters, while the Assistant Executive Director spends 75% of his time on the processing of complaints involving housing discrimination. The Subcommittee also understands that in addition to staff time, the Board and the Executive Committee spend a disproportionate amount of time concerning themselves with fundraising techniques or financial crises. The Subcommittee recognizes that BNI's staff and financial problems are similar to those faced by other community organizations. It was in recognition of this that the Subcommittee recommended to the Executive Committee that the United Fund be asked to explore the establishment of a separate urban programs fund that would address the financial needs of indigenous �·f \ -12- neighborhood organizations such as BNI. The Subcommittee hopes that if and when such an urban fund is established, BNI will aggre, - 4•• ::, :: ~"c" f'."1~i. ng frem t.hat entity. RECOMMENDATIONS During the course of its investigation, the Subcommittee learned of the several complex issues involved in maintaining stable, integrated neighborhoods. All of the work necessary to achieving this goal cannot be done by a single entity with as limited a staff and budget as exists with BNI. It is in view of this fact that the Subcommittee believes that BNI must establish priorities in its overall work program. Therefore, the Subcommittee . makes the following recommendations to BNI. These recommendations - are not in order of importance. .. RECOMMENDATION #1 The Subcommittee has met with the directors of both the City and State Human Relations commissions. Both agencies strongly supported BNI as being a very valuable private organization concerned about equal opportunitie s in housing. Both Directors were highly complime nta r y of the d edic a tion of the staff and the value of the Fair Housing Councils. In fact, the City of Baltimore contribute s $10,000 per year to BNI because the Human Relations Commission refers any complaints of housing discrimination to BNI. •. - •. __ ~ ' .• " .0--" _ __ . __ _ . �-13 - However, the Subcommittee also learned that in the near future, the City Human Relations Commission will btl refe - :,g C.vITlpiaJ.r. ts of hou5inl$ dist.rimination to the State Commission on Human Relations. The reason given was that on April 29, 1971 Governor Mandel signed into law Article 49B, Annotated Code of Maryland, which provided that effective July I, 1971, housing discrimination was prohibited -by State law and the State Commission on Human Relations had the enforcement power of that law. David Glenn, Director of the City Human Relations Commission, stated that when the State's Commiss ion becomes fully staffed the City would refer the complaints it receives to the State agency because it felt that the public agency which administered the law was the proper agency for such referrals. However, Mr. Glenn also indicated that BNI would still receive its $10,000 commitment from the City because of its work in neighborhood stabilization, servicing of the Fair Housing Councils and other service to the City. The Subcommittee has also learned that in the near future the State Commission on Human Relations would be staffed with four investigators, one supervisor and one clerical position. The State Board of Public Works on Octobe r 6, 1971 approved the Commission's request for $45,760 to staff this new department. �';'14- Therefore, due to the fact that neither the State nor the City Human Relations Commissions will be referring hou ~ L lg dis<. . : :.. ': •..:.. :" i..J " ca se" ,to BN T - except during this transitional period during which time staff will be hired - the Subcommittee recommends that at the appropriate time, BNI phase out its work of the servicing of complaints of housing discrimination. While the argument has been made that the number of cases that the State Commission will be asked to handle will far exceed the capacity of its staff and that BNI can be of service to the State Commission by helping develop evidence that discrimination actually took place, the Subco~mittee feels that with BNI's limited staff and budget, the governmental agency responsible for enforcing the law can and must obtain the necessary money to do the kind of job it is designated to do. The Subcommittee has been given the assurance that the State Commission views its initial funding as only a beginning and that next year it will request additional staff for the housing discrimination division. Based on the fact that in the last three years the State Commission has more than tripled its budget and increased its staff by almost the same amount, the Subcommittee feels that such assurances are valid. The State will be better staffed, have better possibilities for additional future funding and is legally empowered to enforce the State law. While BNI has served a valuable function in the past in the area of housing discrimination complaints the Subcommittee feels its future efforts can best be' applied in other areas. �-15- RECOMMENDATION HZ The Subcommittee has been impressed by the importance placed on the Fair Housing Councils by the people who appeared before it. Among realtors, housing authorities, community leaders, BNI officers and staff and others, there was unanimous agreement that these councils are an essential part of maintaining community stability through open housing in the Metropolitan Baltimore Area. Working in predominantly white, middle class suburban neighborhoods, the Fair Housing Councils serve several purposes: 1) Employing a broad based neighborhood educational effort, the Fair Housing Councils help acquaint neighborhoods with Federal and State laws prohibiting racial, religious and ethnic discrimination in housing, including the prohibition against the seller of a house instructing a real estate agent to sell to a specific ethnic or racial population. The Subcommittee was told that while the chief executive officers of the area's major real estate companies are strong supporters of the compliance with the Federal and State open housing laws, the real problem occurs at the real estate �.I I ; -16agent-seller level. The Subcommittee believes that if more residents were aware of the laws JQcring either the seller or the agent from discriminating in the rental or sale of homes, the case for equal opportunity in housing would be advanced. Such an educational effort uniquely falls to BNI since both the City and the State Human Relations Commissions are not charged with this responsibility. 2) The Fair Housing Councils help educate neighborhoods to the value of racial and socio-economically mixed neighborhoods. 3) The Fair Housing Councils serve as a group of r predominantly white residents who are willing to welcome potential black home buyers or renters into their neighborhoods. The value of such groups is important, as the Subcommittee was told several times that one of the major reasons that blacks do not move into the suburbs is the fear of being discriminated against. It is felt that if groups such as Fair Housing Councils were available to openly and publically welcome potential blacks moving into these neighborhoods, such a transition would be much easier. �-17- • The Subcommittee believes that proper servicing of the existinq Fair Housing Councils, as well as creating additional ones, will require full staff assistance. It is anticipated that this work would require the organization of programs for each Council, obtaining speakers, supplying the councils with information and other work that can only be supplied by a professionally trained staff. RECOMMENDATION 13 The Subcommittee also recommends that BNI's efforts in the area of neighborhood stabilization be increased. Each professional agency interviewed by the Subcommittee and staff expressed high praise of .the Bt!I staff's ability in this effort. Since the problem of racially changing neighborhoods exists today as it did in the 1950's (the city lost 131,000 whites and gained 94,500 blacks in the 1960's) this work is just as important as it was when BNI was established. Recently BNI published an excellent manuel, Neighborhoods and Integration by John Michener. !n this manuel, Mr. Michener states: -A stabilized, integrated community does not just happen. It requires a strong cohesive neighborhood. Such a neighborhood is the result of work and effort work and effort that are most likely to be successful if they begin before blacks first move into neighborhoods."2 In both the City and the Counties, the BNI staff should help neighborhoods develop the kind of leadership and community (2) Ne1ghborhoods an<i Integration, by John Michener, 1971, page 1. �-18D- ganization that is r in this m;;'nuel. require~ to achieve the_goals outlined :' The Subcommittee believes that with the com- bination of Fair Housing Councils in the Counties and stronger n e i ghborhoc . ~ cganization ~ in the City, the destructive racial turnover that has occurred over the last two decades can be significantly modified. Certainly with the experience that BNI has accumulated over the last twelve years, such an effort should be made. RECOMMENDATION Th~ *4 Subcommittee also recommends that BNI and the Citizens Planning & Housing Association aggressively and positively explore a merger. In the course of its investigation of BNI, the Subcommittee has learned that neighborhood integration and the open housing movement involves far more than just moving blacks into previously a ll_white communities. There are other problem areas that could best be dealt with by the combined efforts of these two organizations, including code enforcement, schools, trash collection, z?ning, po lice protection and other city services. Both organization~ have a vested interest in neighborhood stability, housing and the quality of neighborhoods and both groups serve the same metropolitan area . . One of the principal issues that constantly confronts , the Subcommittee is the issue of duplication of effort. Such �-19- , a merger would appreciably diminish the possibility of such duplication in this field. h:"{e adoptc ' - : ~ :.::'.; Further. since both organizations s ': .:! ':ement of agreement on cooperation and possible eventual merger. the Subcommittee believes this should be pursued vigorously. RECOMMENDATION IS The Subcommittee believes that if such a newly merged organization is to accomplish the broad-based neighborhood effort outlined in this report. such an organization will need more staff and financing than potentially exist in the combina tion of both groups. Even without a merger. BNI would need more staff and greater financing than it now has. The Subcommittee. therefore. recommends that BNI. at the earliest possible time. approach the Citizens Planning &Housing Association in order to explore the plan for the merger and possible eventual application to the United Fund's indigenous neighborhood fund, when created. for the necessary funding such an organization would require. RECOMMENDATION #6 In discussions with the Subco mm ittee, it was noted that an important function of an organization such as BNI, interested in the promotion of stabilized neighborhoods and open housing, that they be concerned with the provision of low- and moderateincome housing on a regional basis. In view of the fact that in the Baltimore area this �-20- , I~ activity is being addressed by the Area Housing Council of the Regional Planning Council, by the Greater Baltimore Housing Ocvelopmen~ ~---~~~ ~;0 ~ (~ subsid· ~ ry of the Greater Baltimore and by the State Department of Housing and Community Comrnittee~ Development, it is recommended that BNI not engage in this activity. BNI is a member of RPC's Area Housing Council and is in a position to · stimulate and advise the 43 organizations which constitute its membership. • The GBHDC, a private, non-profit entity, is currently engaged in building or has, in its development pipeline, provision for 740 of low-and moderate-income housing units, a substantial portion of which are to be constructed in Baltimore County. The State of Maryland has established a Department of Housing & Community Development and placed at its disposal a State loan of $7 million, to be expended for the purpose of funding the Maryland Housing Fund which will act as an insurer of loans in much the same way as the FHA. The Maryland Housing Fund will have much more flexibility i n its regulations than that of the FHA. For BNI to enter this field at this point would be to duplicate activities already underway, although BNI's interest in • this aspect of the problem is proper and important to the accomplishment of the goals by the Regional Planning Council, the Greater Baltimore Housing Development Corporation and the State. � 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 Community Development Subcommittee Report on BNI, Inc. Description An account of the resource An assessment of the Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. program 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 1971-11-01 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 Greater Baltimore Committee, Community Development Subcommittee 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 bni06.01.48a Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Baltimore Neighborhoods, Incorporated Records (R0015-BNI), series VI, box 1, folder 48, 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 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/e5a5e1b8d65c071d96c80fb3da4f625b.pdf?Expires=1776902400&Signature=NNFovyHJuYlmJYHxC9xnCEbckrkm73pF-ifgya5AWgmpWvfK9wMs3UL2WrnAA784Vy4yvr9XH882DD5qOUt0LsfQPmn82a19Hfan2zaTfpGlmdxmEfE9q774M8qqCoGPSKeBQu7gBSSsdwlEGsYN0TFTDFyZClbgGZLDtmw9%7Ej5SVMClBDr6JU3N14c-ycugbVZ1%7EALDGDeVjxlzvBF5d1MFWDZT-IM7yMnrG-wBt0x8FKigC6zMIhyK4pL6OjlNstrzs7OtF7cXBOF%7ElplOqot1Je4usJAIn0OJP16SEy6oRse8ixEZ-kHuGqTnPU4-4qJiBqvlhdzhpbQDXHXQ3A__&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