1 20 5 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/06a20d020491c6d9f80baa80ac595e72.pdf?Expires=1773878400&Signature=Nd%7EC9Aq5jh14pWTSRGjPBx5rqYMCSd5VOAdDzA746V4Ns1CPS4XgOU1oH27e2qxS7zLYJg%7EQKO2WPI5xr%7EAMbROT9vhG0crkXLRM0NQjQd4h9ldTehcmlixXiKr4z074xejXEgwDINq8SuBGy1pdNQvoUdlSLWnudyecvbTLa5SDRFm0PNw8X3fMos8nym13B1F967grZ5giCcjbjsiIH2aAsXi3moVjk8SWlzCut1TDXnuXiy6zctZU57seGIUzKDVFNWYzq1m%7E7wgV9-M8EbCU6DsMT9JGloZxBkQkDJGi71hhshbv%7EupHuOmVDeNGg9ff7%7ElcqkMQlj7tWyL2nQ__&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=1773878400&Signature=Ke%7EJjULGGpgdA3Ear3MiMZ8548jDVsDNjR7uxsN7508EeTIRXxxM-qT4JXU4sQqgZZuLR%7ExGTpNa59ADG3-v-R7bIk5dy0V7pn%7EOUKgOvCZY%7EDzn9ax6PjIOoedT9vtnvzw4U-OgNAzPvrpa8KFIRyfEzSBvEw3MMnJqYjq2Gh4uiWUQeunYHztvDJwBV3PfmLEGijbhGCmmDVaLTqZCgKxeneK7q8dkQBC8tVL-%7E3BSq5t1mpyfcswb9IwpMV3ip-qPeQ4vMeODg9LFVp0cS%7ER-tHB36yqbPUXSV0TgpU7X6Vhni58hlfsnwxlF%7E0lLHGtvmmmZPFcm%7ESKnu7Lezw__&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 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/c8b8e4a50a0f58953dc09f3ffc5e34a1.pdf?Expires=1773878400&Signature=YpO5%7EXHfoH7qR4quILSwEMxrJjSm8jYp1bFwG4LC5krxxxlUSWZCRUYizaH2wuYJIFjCSagdoxbEf26srslj9SNeIPSDAugZueLO81%7Ex03CX%7EDHdWAmjGc2KsXxQN2FGsnIeeztbFxVMXeW30Fhg0AAza6Ol8Y9DMfILtD5VLM1Uj3fLefBXAvCrSYUhJZRAxWlEAO5rALe82ZLLu-8bRohye0vRSAsvfK6ZFn%7EM7TrzuVxafbmKARyHevPN1F4bIbjf74eRFvg8fBljFgAr8fRxlPmur4JRAHF-IxL0WoGFIozWKrnKOcVWvCWE%7EL5eCrzqLs014T8VyXaUecTK8w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 88494bb9ed5dfb5b830b413e5154ec3f PDF Text Text Study of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. June, Health and Welfare Council of the Baltimo:re Area, Inc . 10 South Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 1965 �I!mIBERS OF TIlE STUDY CCHIITTEE Roy Borom James F. Miller Howard Ofnt Mrs. Henry L. Rogers Charles L. Stout Arthur Wyatt Robert D. Myers, Chaiman STAFF: John M. Spence, Planning Director Health and Welfare Council of the Baltimore Area, Inc. �TABIE CF CONTENTS I. Introducti on ... .. ... . ....... . . .... .... .. ... . .. . .. .. .. .. .... .. ...... . .. 1 - 3 A. Request for the s tudy ............. ..• .... . . .. .... . . . •...• . ... 1 B. fMC decision to engage in the study . .... ... .. ....... . .... ... .. 1 C. Facets of Baltimore Neighbor hoods operati on with which t he study was concerned . ......... .. ............... .. ......... 1 - 2 .... .............. .. ......... ... ... .. ........... 2 D. E. II. TIl. IV. Study method Data collected and persons interviewed . ..•.•.. ..•.... • . . .•• • • 2 - 3 Open-Occupancy and the problem of changing neighborhoods in the Baltimore area . .. ......... .. .................. .... ........ . . . .. .. . Circumstances leading to the formation of Baltimore Neighborhoods , ........ ... ..... ....... . ...... ... ....... .. ........... . 4- 6 7 - 8 Findings and conclusions . .. ..... . ..... . .. . ....... . ... .... . . . ... . .. .. . 9 - 28 Appendices �I. Introduction A. Request for the study - In August, 1964, Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. requested the Health and Welfare Council (HrVC) to undertake a study of Baltimore Neighb orhoods. In his letter of request, the Executive Director of Baltimore Neighborhoods stated that his agency planned to • make formal application for membership in the Comnrunity Chest. • Before proceeding with the application, Baltimore Ne i ghborhoods wanted the fWC to conduct a study that would evaluate certain aspects of Baltimore Neighborhoods I purpose and program activities. B. HNC decision to engage in the study - After a careful consideration of the objectives sought by Baltimore Neighborhoods from the study and after ccnsultation with that agency1s Executive Director, 11 plan for the study . R~ staff developed a Baltimore Neighborhoods concurred in the plan, and at its December, 1964 meeting, the HWC Board of Dir ect?rs voted to undertake tho study on this basis. C. Facets of Baltimore Neighborhoods 1 operation with which the study was concerned - It was decided to limit the scope of the study to an evaluation of three aspects of Baltimore Neighborhoods I operation. The study dealt with: 1. a determination of which services currently provided by Baltimore Neighborhoods in the Baltimore metropolitan area are unique and which (if any) are similar to those already being provided in I "Study Plan, Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. lI , Appendix A. �- 2 - the community under other auspices, either public or private; 2. a consideration of what effect (~f any) membership in the Community Chest might have on the current program activit;i:es and method of operation of Baltimore Ne i ghborhoods; • 3. an evaluation of the degree of responsibility employed by Baltimore Neighborhoods in its activities and a consideration of the acceptance of its efforts by various segments of the community. D. Study method - The President of the fMC appointed a small connnittee of lay people to conduct the study. While some committee members were active in the real estate industry or had backgrounds in the field of housing, -nona ~as a paid employee of any public or private agency working in housing or civil rights. A staff member of the }We was assigned to provide staff services . It was his responsibility to coll ect background information and necessary data for the committee ' s use. The whole committee met a total of five times over a two and one- half month period. E. Data collected and persons interviewed - Information was compiled through discussions with the Executive Director of Baltimore Neighborhoods and from the agency's Bvlaws, the minutes of its Board meetings, budget statements, and various brochures and descriptive literature. In the course of its work, the committee elicited (by questionnaire) informat ion from housing agencies and United Funds in certain other cities, from local neighborhood improvement aSSOCiations, and from local agencies and organizations engaged in work similar to that of Baltimore Neighborhoods . In addition, ~he committee met with the President and Executive Director of Baltimore Neighb orhoods and with the representative of a neighborhood �- 3 - improvement association with which Baltimore Neighborhoods engaged in program activities . The presidents of other improvement groups were inter- vieHed by telephone. • The findings and conclusions in Section IV are the result of a careful assessment of this material. �- 4II. Open occupancy and the problem of changinli/: neighborhoods in the Baltimore area Baltimore Neighborhoods works in the sensitive, even controversial, field of housing and race . Before discussing the agency1s evolution and its specific services it would be well to provide a framework by considering two aspects of the problem currently fac~ng Baltimore in the field in which Baltimore Neighborhoods operates. First, is the quest ion of open occupancy. Neither Baltimore City nor the state of Maryland has fair housing legislation. The Mayor1s office recently released the findings of the Baltimore City Housing Study Advisory Commission. The Commission was established to study the availability of housing for rninor- ity groups in Baltimore City and the overall problem created by disorimin3ticD in housing . Its Report recommends ppen housing legislation for Baltimore City but indicates a more ideal solution would be state-wide open housing legis- 2/ lation.- The Mayor withheld introduction of any local legislation pending the outcome of a state-Wide fair housing measure introduced in the 1965 session of the General Assembly . The Assembly failed to enact the legislation and the Mayo.:- has introduced a local open occupancy bill as he had promised he would do if no action were forthcoming at the State level. The City proposal would cover all structures with more than two housing units and structures with one or two units if neither unit is owner-occupied. The bill would ban discrimination by an owner or real estate agent through false representation that hOUSing is not available for inspection, rental, 2 Recommendation, Report of the Baltimore City Housin,G!; Study Advisory £.emmission, NoveIllber, 1961i �- 5 - or sale . tiona. It would also prohibit discrimination by lending or mortgaging instituPlans call for enforcement to become the responsibilit y of the Community 3/ Relations Conunission. • Second, is the problem of neighborhoods undergoing rapid changes from white to Negro occupancy . This is caused in part by the great pressure exerted on northern industrial cities to provide expanded housing facilities for Negroes. A series of articles in the then Baltimore Nel",s - Post and Sunda.V American cited the following reasons for this pressure : "1. the surging migration of Negroes in increasing numbers from the South to the North in search of greater educational, social and economic opportunities; 2. the failure of Northern industria,l centers to provide housing for migrants from the Southj 3. the displacement of a sizable number of Negroes by urban renewal projects; 4. the inability of the Negro to obtain new housing to fill his needs; 5. the increased earning power of the Negro, resulting in pressures on white neighborhoods surrounding traditional Negro neighborhoods for 6. adeq~te space; the fear of white residents of Negro neighbors, even in limited numbers and their subsequent flight to the suburbs . 1/ The r apid change of residential neighborhoods from primarily white occupied to predominantly Negro occupied has been accompanied by, and resulted in, unwholesome practices and conditions . _wo 11 One evil that has been associated with this • • Since this was written the City COuncil has ended its current session without ac.t ing on this proposed Ordinance. �- 6 - change is blockbusting or lithe deliberate creation or exploitation by a real estate broker, dealer, speculator, or owners of prejudice, fear, ignorance, • or panic designated to induce a rapid change of a block's population from white 4/ to colored. u- The City now has an ordinance making illegal certain real estate practices associated \'lith blockbusting. Efforts of farsighted improvement associations and other interested groups to combat blockbusting and maintain racially stahle neighborhoods provided part of the impetus resulting in the establishment of Baltimore Neighborhoods. It was realized that neighborhood groups working separately could not deal with such a many-faceted problem. 41 - Baltimore Community Relations Commission �- 7 III. Circumstances leading to the fonnation of Baltimore Neighhorhooos During the mid -1950's, th e northwest section of Baltimore was undergoing extensive change in the racial composition af its neighborhoods. improvement associations J Ashburton arxi \iirxlsor Hills, began active campaigns to preserve the high resi dential quality of the ir areas. • Two neighborhood keeping Negroes out, but at maintaining discouraging the wholesale flight of racial~ ~~hite They aimed not at stable neighborhoods both by familie s from the neighborhoods and by encouraging new white families to move into the areas. While these individual efforts and others like them met with some success, there was a realistic recognition that at the core this was a probl em of attitudes r ooted in traditional market practices am. prejudices. The achieV8rent of l asting progress lo.rould require both an ext ere ive educational campaign arxl skillful work wi th the group:; and individuals most affected. The task was thought to exceed the scope of individual neighborhocx1 gr oups, even those that had successful~ In the summer of responded to crises in their own backyards. 1958, several improvement associations , the Baltimore Urban League, the Citizens Planning and Housing Association, and tm Harylarxl Commis sion on Inte rracial Problems and Relations appealed to the Greater Baltimore Conunittee for help. The Greater Baltimore Committee was approached because it was thought to represent the business community's concern about Baltimore City's economic futur e am was considered influential enough to lend effective support to the search for so luti ons to a hous ing problem with economic as well as social conse quences. The Greater Baltimore Committee agreed to J:8 r ticipate in activities aimed at solving the problems of racially changing neighborhoods and recommend the establislunent of a city-wide agency for that purpose. �- 8- In November, 1958, the Dreater Baltimore Committee sponsored a housing conference which focused on problems accompanying rapid neighborhood change, the need for new, adequate housing for Negroes, and the need to identify, mobilize, and make • effective use of a variety of neighborhood resources. At the conc lusion of the conference, James W. Rouse issued the following statement: l'We find that the rapid conversion of neighborhood from all-white to all- N egro occupancy presents Baltimore with one of its most serious economic crises in recent years . The flight of the medium and upper income families from the city limits and their replacement by persons of both races of the lowest income levels is a threat not on~ to our municipal solvency b)It to the economic stability of the entire metropolitan area. It is therefore recommended that there be formed a city-wide organization composed of representatives of civic and labor organizations, improvement associations, the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore, the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Association of Commerce, the homebuilders, and the city and state governments . During the preliminary stages and until the city-wide group is well established, the Greater Baltimore Committee will provide clerical and professional staff assistance . II The Housing Conference was followed by the formation of Baltimore Neighborhoods in March, 1959 . �- 9 IV. Findings and conclusions In this section are presented the findings and conclusions of the study committee with regard to the three aspects of BaltilTlore Neighborhoods I operation which • it was asked to assess. The committee ' s findings, on which the conclusions are based, are the result of an evalnation of the Background Material, replies to various questionnaires, and the personal and telephone interviews conducted by the cOt1l!llttee . There follows each charge, the committee ' s concluSion, and the findings which led to that conclusion . Charge 1 To define which services currently provided by Baltimore Neighborhoods in the Baltimore metropolitan area are unique and which (if any) are silnilar to those a lready being provided in the community under other auspices, either public or private . Conclusion WHIlE IT IS EVIDElIT THAT SEVERAL OTHER AOElICIES AND OROANIZATIONS PERFORM FACETS OF THE TOTAL JOB IN THE FIElD OF HOUSING AND RACE, BALTIMORE NEIGIIBORIIlODS IS UNIQUE IN TWO WAYS. FIRST, IT ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERFORMING A FULL RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AIMED AT: MAINTAINING THE RACIAL STABILITY AND HIGH QUALITY OF RESIDElITIAL NEIGIIBORHOODS; D]MONSTRATING THAT SOUND, STABlE, INTERRACIAL CCMWNITIES OF HIGH STANDARDS ARE DESIRABlE AND POSSIBlE; EXPANDING IDUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITIES THROUGIIJUT THE METROPOLITAN AREA . SECOND, CERTAIN SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES IN WInCH IT ENGAGES AS PART OF TInS TOTAL PROGRAM ARE NOT NOW PERFORMED ON A REGUIAR RASIS BY OTHER UX;AL AOElICIES. �- 10 - FindinB! Baltimore Neighborhoods carries out its program through a series of separate but interrelated acitvities . All are aimed at achieving neighborhood racial stabilization and an expansion of housing opportunities for minority groups . It \ should be noted at the outset that Baltimore Neighborhoods states that it provides help in a neighborhood onlY after a r equest and after reaching a cooperative agreement nth some r esponsible group or or gani zation in that neighborhood. There follows a list of the specific activities in which Baltimore Neighborhoods states it engages in the endeavo:' t o inform, to educate, and (when necessary) to negotiate complaints of discrimination: 1. plans and/or sponsors c onferences dealing with housing and race, 2. conducts community educational pl'ograms focused on the facts of neighbor- hood racial change, 3. conducts programs to help neighborhoods make orderly preparation for imminent racial change, 4. engages in community relati ons work With individual families and community groups after a N egro family has moved into a predominantly white neighborhood, 5. engages in various activities with the r eal estate, banking, and home building i rxiustri~'s to achieve increased acceptance of open occupancy, 6. disseminates infor mation about housing and race on an individual basis as r equested , 7. maintains , and provides upon request, a list of homes and apartments available on a non-di scriminat ory b :,,:,ls . 8. rec :~ve3 9. receives and investigates complaints of illegal blockbusting practices and refers to the and at t empts to negot iate complaints of discrimination in housing, appropriate enforcement a gency if other attempts at solution fail, �- 11- 10. within the limits of the law governing the political activities of tax-exempt organizations, endorses and promotes legislation which supports the concept of open housing and opposes any which might perpetuate racial discrimination in the field of housing. (The Committee wishes to point out that this list was provided by Baltimore Neighborhoods and was not the subject of Committee investigation . ) In addition to Baltimore Neighborhoods Inc., there exist locally a number of community organizations or groups of organizations, with programs in the general fields of housing or civil rights. Seven of them, both public and private, state they have definite housing programs that can be compared with the program of Baltimore Neighborhoods. They are: Baltimore Community Relations Commission, Baltimore County league for Htunan Rights, Baltimore Urban league, Citizens Planning and Housing Association, Maryland Commission on Interracial Problems and Relations, neighborhood improvement associations, civil rights organizations. As part of their own broader programs concerned with improved housing, planning, or civil rights, they regularly engage in some of the same activities as those engaged in by Baltimore Neighborhoods . They occasionally engage in otper of the actiVities carried out by Baltimore Neighborhoods ,but'.dp not consider them regular parts of their programs. Neighborhoods The ten activities specified by Baltimore are the core of its day-to-day program. Table 1 shows the activities in which these other organizations regularly engage compared with the regular activities of Baltimore Neighborhoods. Except where otherwise noted, the information contained in the table was supplied by the agencies themselves . �Table 1 - Activities of Other Organizations ComlBred With Those of Baltimore Neighborhoods Organizations Baltimore Baltimore Community County Re lat ions League fer Commission Human Ri ghts ~ Specific T.ypes of Activities Engaged in by ENI Citizens Planning and Housing Association !Y Planning - sponsoring conferences dealing with housing and race Yes Yes Corrrnission on Inter racial ~~~ti'lli\sand Ye. Neighborhood Improvement Associations !!I Organizations Baltimore Active in the Urban League Field of Civil Righta !I Yes Conducting community educational programs focused on the facts of neighborhood racial change MlU'l'land Engaging in community relations work with individual families and community groups after a Negro fami~ has moved into a predominantly white neighborhood and vice versa Yes . cd Yes . Engag ing in var i cus activities with the real estate, banking, and home building industries to achieve increased acceptance of open occupancy Disseminating information about housing am race on an individual basis as requested Yee Yes t1a1ntaining, and provid~ upon request, a list of available homes in open neighborhoods Conducting programs to help neighborhoods make orderlY preparation far imminent racial change es Y Y es Ye s O j . Yes Yee • • • I . tes �• • • Receiving and attempting to negotiate canplaints of discriminati on in housing Yes Receiving ani investigating canplaints of illegal blockbusting practices and referral to the appropriate enforcement a gency if other attempts at solution f=ai=l=----I---_ _ __ Yes +____-l _ _ _ __-f______f-______-I---_ _ _ _ _ _ II_ _ _ __ Endorsing and promoting legislation supporting the concept of Yes open housing - opposing any which might p;trpetuate racial discriminati on in the field of housing ____________________________________L _________ _ !I Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes -- ----- -- .----- ------- ------------ ------------- -------------- --------- This information was obtained from a review of certain descriptive material issued by the organization and from the Executive Director of Baltimore Neighborhoods who irxlicates he has worked closely with the Baltimore County League for Human Rights in its housing activities. 2,/ C.P.H.A. states : "All of our work deals with housing and race but not on an intensive scale as Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc •.•• Since Baltimore Neighborhoals, Inc . .has been set up we try to refer intensive work of this kind. to them .. • . " It is important to note that C.P .H.A. indicates general agreement that Baltimore Neighborhoods should take leadership in these specific activities. sf Since Maryland has no open housing statute, the Commission's activities in the field of housing are devoted largely to educational programs and mediation of canplaints of alleged housing discrimination. The Commission states that 1£ the act of discrimination occurred in a local community having a Biracial Committee or voluntary agency active in the housing field (such as Baltimore Neighborhoods) the Commission would ordinarily refer the complainant to that agency or work in close cooperation with that agency in seeking a resolution to the problem. c!/ This determination results fran the canmittee's contacts with representatives of numerous improvement associations. In almost all cases, their activities are carrie1. out on behalf of the residents of a given neighborhood or clearly defined geographic area. ,y This is a composite of information supplied by CORE and the Baltimore Fr:lends of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Council), the two d.vil rights organizations which responded to the comml.ttee's questionnaire. t:: �- 14 The committee lIas unable to discover additional agencies or organizations that should be included in the above comparison . The information i n Table 1 supports Baltimore Neighborhoods t contention that in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area only it provides a full range of services dealing with housing and the issue of rac e . '1'uo other facts lend added <Height to these findings . In w.any cases, even agencies or organizations nhich have indicated they regularly perform or.e or mo:.~e of the SilJ1e activities carried out by Baltimore rJeighborhocds state that they lacl{ sufficient time and staff J in view of their other cOm::litmcnts, to They indicate a ~dllingness ~':. ssign such uork the priority they fee l it descrv€s . to have Baltimore Neighborhocxis assume the leader- ship Z'ole and define their own role as supportive to ~o lt:L '!I0~e Neighborhoods ' In discharging the ir r esponsibilities in the broader fielde intensive efforts . . of housing and civil rights they state the:r m."'ten refer situations to Baltimore Haighborhoods or ,,'!ork cooperatively uith that agency . While the Mayor ' s proposed Fair Housing Bill provides that enforcement uould be the responsibility of the Baltimore Community Relations Connnission, t.he existence of such legislation would, in all prob::!.b i lity need for Baltimore Neighborhoods = services. and intent as well occur overnight . fiB incre~se the Community acceptance of the spiri~.;. the I1letter"of co.oy fair housing legislation would. not On the contrary, it can be expected that complete acceptance " ouN come very slowly and , es pecially for some sections in th9 metropolitan area , very painfuDy. Neighborhoods and individuals assuming their necessary responsibiltties . ~.j'ould need he l p and support in Because of its expc;icnce it is expected that Baltimore Neighborhoods would play an important role in this effort . �- 15 Char•• 2 To consider what effect (if any) membership in the Community Chest might have on the current program activities and method of operation of Baltimore Neighborhoods. Conclusion EVIDENCE INDICATES BALTIMORE NEIGHBORIIlODS IS OPERATING IN A CONTROVERSIAL FIEID. THE COHHITTEE IS COOVINCED THAT BALTIMORE NEIGHBCRlIJODS' I'ROGRAM 13 AIMED AT RESOU'ING CONrROVERSY AND ELIMINATING CCHoIUNITY TENSION, NOT AT CREATING OR SUSTAINING IT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MEMBERSI!IP IN THE CGlMUNITY CHEST, WHILE NOT AFFECTING THE BASIC PROGRAM OF BALTIMORE NEIGHBCRIIlODS, MIGHr RESULT IN A LIMITATION ON SOME OF ITS ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF J;llUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES . Findings The committee wishes to begin with a word of caution. It has not attempted to assess whether or not Baltimore Neighborhoods meets all of the criteria established for membership by the Community Chest of the Baltimore Area, Inc . It does not recommend whether or not the Community Chest should accept Baltimore Neighborhoods to membership, or deal with the possible effect such membership might have on the fund raising potential of the Chest. �- 16 - The committee1s purpose was to use the facts available to it to arrive at an opinion about the possible effect on Baltimore Neighborhoods' program were it to become a Community Chest member agency and meet the requirements for continuing membership . The conclusion results from a consideration of certain written principles which guide the Chest in the admission of agencies to membership, the Bylaws of the Community Chest, and very limited information from other cities where housing agenCies are, or have been in the recent past, Community Chest. members. In addition, the committee discussed this issue With both the PreSident and Executive Director of Baltimore Neighborhoods. This was done in an effort to learn the agencyfs reasons for considering making application for Chest membership and to have benefit of its opinion of the effect membership would have on the agency 1 s current program and method of operation. The Element of Controversy and Community Chest Membership Requirements One of the written principles which guides the Community Chest in the admission of agencies to membership states: tlNo propa.ganda organization in the field of controversial questions, or organization which recommends in favor of or against the election of individual candidates to _political - cffice shall be admitted to the Community Chest." 21 Through various operating methods, Baltimore Neighborhoods openly and actively supports the concept of "fair" or nopen" housing available to all without regard to race. The Committee is of the opinion that Baltimore Neighborhoods f active advocacy of community wide open occupancy legislation 21 "General Information Form for Agencies Desiring Membership in the Community Chest of the Baltimore Area, Inc . ", Community Chest of the Baltimore Area, Inc. �- 17 - might have to be de-emphasized were it to be admitted to the Community Chest at this time. (This statement is made With full awareness of the interrelatedness of the activities in which Baltimore Neighborhoods engages . ) concept is legally endorsed in most other large cities. The open housing It may well be generally accepted (therefore, presumably not controversial) as well as legally sanctioned in these same cities . Although acceptance is more difficult to document than legal sanetion, the Report of the Baltimore City Housin~ Study Advisory Committee states : "Of the six largest cities in the United states only Baltimore and Detroit do not have Fair Homing laws. In addition, cities most silnilar to Baltimore - Washington, st . louis, Boston, and Pittsburgh are all covered by open-occupancy laws •• .• None of these cities has suffered panic, large exodus to the suburbs or big changes in housing patterns. ~.any reports indicate that the move to suburbs, started before World War .II, and picked up immediately afterwards, has now, in the 60 1 s, reversed itself with a movement back into the City. In other words, the patte~n of movement between the city and suburbs seems to be the same in all cities, regardless of whether or not there is open- occupancy legislation . • .• The CommiSSion found that St. Louis, a city remarkably similar to Baltimore, has not suffered any economic impairment after passage of legislation for fair hOUSing and. that there is general acceptance of the legislation by those who had most vigorously objected to it . Moreover, the moral climate of the community has benefited from the enactment of legislation . 1\ Baltimore I s situation at present is different . legislation. There is no open-occupancy The 1965 session of the Haryland General Assembly failed to act on a statewide Fair Housing Bill . The housing provisions were deleted from the Civil Rights Act passed by the Baltimore City Council in 1964. These two events were prima facie evidence that disagreements exist among residents of the Baltimore area as to the merits of open occupancy. Although the Mayor has introduced a Fair Housing Bill into the City Council, no final acti on has been taken . The committee can only conclude that the cause ' of open occupancy is viewed as controversial in the Baltimore area at this time . �- 18 - Community Chest- Member Agency Relationships - Community Chest member agencies enjoy a degree of autonomy. Article V of the Bylaws of the Chest deals with 1 1Agency Member and Corr:munity Chest Relationships . " Section 2 (d) of this Article bears on the situation under discussion: IIAgency Autonomy - Agency Member shall be independent and self- gover ning . However, should an Agency Member take any action or engage in any activity which in the judgement of the Executive Committee adverse~ affects the interests of the Chest or its Agency J.lembers, the Executive Committee may request such lAgency Member, in writing, stating its r easons, to discontinue such action or activity. Should the Agency Member decline to complY with such request, the Executive Committee may recorrmend the r emoval of such Agency Member from the Chest pursuant to Article IV, Section 5, or thes e By-laws . 11 The committee thinks it can be assumed that activities in controversial fields could fall within the pr ovisions of this Secti on and could, therefore, have the effect of limiting Baltimore N eighborhoo.ds r advocacy of open occupancy. Information from other Communities - Inforrnat ion was sought about the 6/ programs of Community Chest member housing agencies in other large cities .- ' No instance was found of a member agency whose program closely resembles the program of Baltimore Neighborhoods. However , the response fr om the Community Health and. Welfare Council of the Cincinnati Area with regard to the Better Housing league , a Chest agency, is very pertinent. The Council' s Executive Director said he believed Cbest member ship bas limited the Better Housing League's program in only minor ways (the League is a long time Chest member). While the league has carri ed :>ut an educational , i j See questionnaire, Appendix B �- 19 - program for improved housing, it" ... has not assumed a role of aggressively striking out for equal opportunities in housing, etc .... " There is also a voluntary non-Cheat member citizens group in Cincinnati, H.O.M.E. ( Housing Opportunities Made Equal). Representatives of individual agencies partici- pate in its fair housing activities which 11, •• would appear to eliminate the possibility of tax-supported or Communtiy Cbest-supported organizations being engaged too aggressively in fair-housing activities." The United Good Neighbor s of Seattle responded that the CiVic Unity Committee of that city had engaged in fair housing actiVities to a limited extent but had gone out of existence, effective June 30, 1964. The United Good Neighbors withdreM its financial support based on the fact that many of the activities of the Civic Unity Committee ~ere assumed by the newly created City of Seattle Human Rights Commission (public). No other city reported a Chest member agency engaged in fair housing activities. Baltimore Neighborhoods' Own View - The President and the Executive Director or Baltimore Neighborhoods said they did not think the Community Chest's membership criteria would have to affect the present operation of Baltimore Neighborhoods. Charge 3 To evaluate the degree of responsibility employed by Baltimore Neighborhoods in its activities and consider the acceptance of its efforts by various segments of the community. �- 20 - Conclusions BALTIMORE NEIGHBORHOODS WAS FOOlED AND HAS DEVEIDPED IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. IT HAS CARRIED OUT RESPONSIBLY ITS PROGRAM WHICll HAS BEEN GENERALLY ACCEPTED BY THOSE SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNI TY WORKING TO IMFROVE HOUSING CONDI TIONS AND TO MAKE HOUSING AVAILABLE TO ALL PERSONS WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE . BALTIMORE NEIGHBORHOODS HAS MET WITH S(J1E SU::CESS IN EFFORTS TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL REAL ESTATE AND HOHE BUILOING IlIDUSTRIES . IT HAS BEEN Ml£H LESS EFFECTIVE IN PROIlIDING DIRECT SERVICES TO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS IN NEIGHBORHOODS UNDERGOING, OR ABOUT TO UNDERGO, RACIAL CHANCE . Findings Formation and Structure - As described in the historical review , Bal timore Neighborhoods was formed as an expression of the need felt by part of Baltimore ' s bUSiness community and several civic and improvement associations representing areas in northwest Baltimore . "l. 2. jJ Its objectives are : To maintain the racial stability and high quality of residential neighborhoods in the Baltimore M etropolitan area. To demonstrate that neighborhoods do not have to either be al1-white or all- Negro; that another alternative - sound, stable interracia l communities of high standards - are not only desirab l e but possi ble . \I Untit l ed descriptive folder prepared by Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. 11 �- 21- Baltimore N eighborhoods is structured in a manner consistent with the structure of other, similar, non-profit, charitable and educational agencies . It has a written set of Bylaws which govern its structure and operation . Baltimore N eighborhoods is composed of both general (voting) and associate (non-voting) members. General membership is limited to organizations . Any organization interested in the purpose and program of Baltimore Neighborhoods is eligible for membership. The Bylaws stupulate that the following shall be general members f Citizens Planning and Housing Association, Greater Baltimore Committee, Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore, Chamber of Commerce of M etropolitan Baltimore, Inc . , M aryland Cou:mission on Interracial Problems and Relations, M ayor and City Council of Baltimore, and the Baltimore Urban League. As of May, 1965, there were 19 organizational (general) members : Alameda- Harford N eighborhood Association Allendale-Lyndhurst Improvement Association Ashburton Area Association Baltimore City Council Baltimore Ethical Society Baltimore Urban League Citizens Planning and Housing Association Fairmount A ssociation Greater Baltimore Committee Joint Social Order Committee of Baltimore Friends ' Meetings Kenilworth Park Neighborhood Association Lauraville Improvement Association Maryland Commission on Interracial Problems and Relations Maryland Council of Churches Mt . Washington Improvement Association Public Affairs Comnittee, First U nitarian Church Real Estate Board of Greater Balti more Real Estate Brokers of Baltimore, Inc. Windsor Hills A ssociation �- 22 - Baltimore Neighborhoods is goverred by a lay Board of Directors. ~ The officers of the Board consist of a president, two vice presidents, a sec r etary and a treasurer. The officers serve one -year t erms and vacanci e s are fil l ed by the Board of Dire ctors. consists of 22 .rrembers (includ i ng officers). At prese nt the Board The Bylaws provide that 15 of the directors shall represent varirus groups or or ganizations in the Baltimore area . The Board of Directors is responsible fa the pro- perty, business , and affairs of the Corporation and discharges those duties usually assuned by such Boards. regularly scheduled monthly meetings. The Board had been holding There is a small Steering Com- mittee composed of sene members of th e Board of Directors and the Executive Director to conside r vari Qua agency problems arising between regular mee tings of the Board of Directors . This Steering Committee was for mally es t ablished by the Board in September, 1964. In addition to tohe Board of Directors there is an Advise ry Boord to work with ani advise the Board of Directors as Ule latter shall re quire . M embers ar e designated by tre organizational (general) membe r s of Balti more Neighborhoods. An evaluation of the composition of the Board of Di rectors and the Advisory Board leads to tre conclusion that the agency has made an effort to have associated with it men and women who occupy roles of l eade rship in Baltimore ' s business, r eligious and civic activities . 8/ For tre Ol r rent composition of the Board of Directors and the Advisory - Board , see Appendi x C. �- 2) - Many also serve in voluntary positions with other community service agencies and institutions. The real estate and horne building industries and mortgage firms are we 11 represented on the Board of Directors. Baltimore Neighborhoods makes use of persons in the community with backgrounds and skills in r esearch as members of a Research Advisory Con:mittee. This Committee concerns itself with research pr~ jects aimed at providing Baltimore Ne ighborhoods with data essential t o its program activitites. To conduct its operation, Baltimore N eighborhoods has a staff consisting of an executive director, a part time staff assistant and a secretary. The executive director has had substantial experience in the fair housing field. He has worked in various positions in this field for almost 20 years. Prior to assuming duties with Baltimore Neighborhoo:ls, he was .for " hree years Director of the Housing Program t of the Chicago Orban League. )0 hours per week . The staff assistant has been working about She fomerly held research positions with both the Baltimore Housing Authority and the National Committee on Segregation in the Nation ' s Capital. The agency has not developed formal, written job descriptions for staff . The executive director, operating under the general direction of the Board of Directors, is responsible for the administration and program activities of Baltimore Ne i ghborhoods . The internal operation of the agency is his responsibility, and with the help of the staff assistant , he carries out the program activities already described. The executive director supervises the other members of the staff. �- 24 The staff assistant performs those dutie s to which she is assigned by the executive director. She assists the executive director in furthering the general purpose of Baltimore Neighborhoods. The secretary performs the usual clerical duties recessary for the operation of the agency. Canmunity Acceptance of Baltimore Neighborhooos I Efforts - The committee thinks the available evidence indicates that Baltimore Neighborhoods' goals and methods of operation have been generally accepted by those in the community who are striving for improved housing and for equal opportunities for all without regard. to race . In the course of its 'WOrk the coounittee has elicited opinions from busiress men, representatives of the religious community, and presidents of numerous improvement associations struggling with the problems of racially changing neighborhoods. necessarilY endorse eve~ \'.ihile all did not facet of Baltimore Neighborhoods' program, it is clear that they accept the validity of Baltimore Neighborhoods ' goal of stable neighborhoods and general methcrls used to achjeve that goal. Another measure of whettE r cr not a voluntary agency I s efforts are accepted can be found in the willingness of segments of the community to contribute to its financial support and participate in its activities . As indicated above, numerous responsible groups and organizations are nembers of Baltimore Ne ighborhoods and t he agency has been able to develop an ever-widening base of financial support. E8t~tCB The Baltimore City Board. of provided $10,000 from ite contingency fund for Ea1timore Neighbor- hoods' operation in 1965. The Archdiocese of Baltimore has been a contributor �- 25 for the past two years. In addition, during 1964, 20 individuals, 19 business firms, and seven foundations or organizations contributed sums in excess of $lOO. Over $1,700 was contributed in l esser amounts, averagi ng about $12.00 per contribution. Nume rous formal and informal groups have sought advice and counsel fran the Baltimore Neighborhoods ' staff on problems of neigbborhocxl racial change and related matters. This informational and educational service bas been provided to P.T .A. 's, church groups , clubs, and similar groups. Baltimore Neig:hborhoods indicates that it would like to further expand this servide as agency resources permit. Work with the Real Estate and Home Building Industries - Baltimore Neighborhoods has devoted much effort to gaining the support of the real estate, home building, and mortgage industries. Baltimore Neighborhoods states that part of this undertaking has been accomplished formally through participation in conferences and other planned program activities. To an even greater extent it states that it has been done through meetings and informal discussions with key employees of business firms . Several accomplishments with the real estate industry are worthy of note here . First, Baltimore Neighborhoods was he lpful in securing passage of a city ordinance making it illegal for real estate brokers to engage in certain activities usually associated With bl ockbusting. �- 26 - Second, with the encouragement of Baltimore Neighborhoods, the Real Estate Board ( in 15'62) appointed a special committee to study the facts and implications of neighborhood racial change and recommend positive action that the profession could. take to solve problems c.&used by such change . A resulting policy statement, adopted by the Real Estate Board, asked members to cease the practice of identifying properties by race in classified advertising . Subsequently, Baltimore newspapers adopted a policy of refusing classified advertisements on "Houses for Sale" which bore racial designations . The statement also requested that members of the Real Estate Board not relinquish listings in neighbor hoods beginning to undergo change and asked that buyers be sought for properties in such areas Without regard too race, col or, or creed . Third, as noted, the Real Estate Board is a general member of Baltimore Neighborhoods and several real estate firms and financial institutions are represented on Baltimore Neighborhoods' Board of Directors . Fourth, in February, 1965, the Real Estate Board petitioned the President to expand the coverage of the Executive Order on Equal Opportunity in Housing to inc lude mQl\tgages granted by Savings and Loan Associations and commercial banks whose deposits are insured by the Fereral government. The President of the Real Estate Board stated this action was taken as a result of the November, 1964, Baltimore Conference on Equal Opportunity in Housing . Services to Neighborhood Improvement Associations _ In working to promote orderly racial change, Baltimore Neighborhoods states that it engages in a variety of program activities With nei ghborhood aSSOCiations. O form of ne such involvement is the presentation of factual data about racial change to concerned residents, thereby preventing the spread of rumor that can result �- 27 - in turmoil and i nc reased ill feelings . In other cases, Baltimore Neighborhoods ' staff has acted in ;""1 advisory capacity on such subjects as zoning r egulations or new and improved services sought from the loca l government . Since the committee thinks services to neighborhood associations, especially those in "critica l rr areas .about to undergo or already undergoing racial change, are among the most unportant taskn to be lh.dertaken by an agency such as Baltimore ~"':: ighbor hoodl:j, it lias surpriised that there was not evidence of gr eater involvement vrith improvement n.ssociations. The committee is cognizant of the limited res ources at Balti mor e Ne i ghborhoods' command . It cautions that it lTould be very ea sy to e."Cpect too much of Baltimore Ne ighborhoods in vig;·J of its small staff and the enormity df the problem with which it must struggle. While it must r emain conjecture, it seems likely '.. that there would be more notable results in work with improvement groups if Baltimore Neighborhoods had available more staff service . Despite these recognized handica ps, the committee thinks it is ilnportant to c onsider the results of this phase of Baltimore Neighbol'hoods ' work . There are about 150 neighborhood associations in tbe Baltilnore area, Baltimore Neighborhoods indicates it has carried out program activities with 16 of these during the last two yea.rs . \-lith f eu excepti ons these are groups representing nei ghborhoods i n northeast and northHest Baltimore City. The committee spoke to representatives of, or two-thirds of these n5sociation~ , he~d in writing from, about M ost of t hs associations r a ported one to three contacts with Baltimore Nejchborhoods durine the p~s t two years . These usually took the form of speeches by Baltimore Nsighborhoods ' staff about how to achieve and maint~in a racially stabilized neighborhood or meetings with the officers of associations to offer advice on handling a �-28variety of neighborhood problems. W ith two exceptions, there was not evidence of long- time, meaningful contact between Baltimore Neighborhoods and the associations. Several associations mentioned that they considered the Citizens Planning am Housing Association ani the Housing Conunittee of the Real Estate Board !'more available" to them. It is important to note that in cases where Baltimore Neighborhoods had provided more than minimal services, the associations were usually satisfied with the quality, if not the quantity, of such service. Associa - tions were aware that the nature of this work almost always precludes dramatic successes or overnight changes in attitude. Two associati ons were more lavish in their praise of Baltimore Neighborhoods and indicated a record of more extensive contacts with that agency. Both these organizations and the others reporting less involvement thought Baltimore Neighborhoods' greatest value lay in: 1) the morale value of its very existence as a symbol that neighborhood racial stability is an achievable goal; 2) its role in helping to outlaw certain undesirable r eal estate practices. �APPENDICES �Appendu A-l November 19, 1964 study Plan Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. I. BlICqrouncl one! reaaon for study request On Auguat 14, 1964 the Executive Director of Baltimore Neighborhoods re- quested the lIealth and Welfare CouncH OWC} to undertake a study ot Balt.imore Neighborhoods. The letter of request stated thet Baltimore Neighborhood. planned to make appl1cation for membership in the Ca.ounity Chest in the near future. Before submitting ita formal application, the agenoy wanted the IIIC to oonduct a .tudy aimed at evaluating certain aspects of BaltJ»ore Neighborhood. f purpose and progr... related to el1gibil1ty fop Comaunity Che.t meDbership. II. Scope of the otudy The study 1I1ll b. concerned 1I1th three aspects of the operation of Baltimore Neighborhoods . First, it 1I1ll atte..pt. to define which .ervice. currently provided by Baltimore Neighborhoodo in the Baltimore motropol1 tan area are unique one! whieh (if any) are .imilar to tho.e being provided by other ageneie. one! organ1aatlons in the community. This Will include a conelderation ot any uniquene•• in the _hod(s} employed by Baltimore Neighborhoodo in prov1d1ng ito oem.c... �Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. liovember 19, 1964 Secmd, it will consider what effect, if any, membership in the Community Clest might have on the current programs of Baltimore Neighborhoods ~ the methods it employs in carrying out. those programs. The study ~11 not attempt to deal with how the possible membership of Baltimore Neighborhoods in the Community Chest would affect the fund-raising potential of the • Comnmity Ou~st. It will not recommend vhether the Chest should accept Baltimore Neighborhoods to membership. These determinatIons are the responsibility of the Community Chest. Third, It will evaluate the degree of responsibility employed by Baltimore Neighborhoods in its activities and consider the acceptance of Its efforts by various segments of the community. Ill. Method A. Personnel 1. Study Committee - the President of the HWC will appoint a small committee to conduct the study and submit a report of its findings to the Board of the HWC. This cOlll!lI ttee will be c_osed of lay people, some of whom . have backgrounds in the field of housing real estate. No committee member will be a paid employee of any public or private civil rigtts. 01'. agen~ working in the field of housing or Such people will be involved as needed as con- sultants to the committee. 2. HWC staff - a staff member assigned by the Executive Director of the HWC will provide staff service to the committee. He will be responsible for collecting background Wormation and necessary data to be used by the cOfllDittee. He will handle all arrangelKflts �Baltimore Neighborhoods J Inc . Novelliler 19, 1964 connected with committee meetings and will discharge the usual staff services. B. Data to be collected \ 1. Baltimore Neighborhoo:is - a review of the history and present structure and operation or Baltimore Neighborhoods. This information will be canpiled from material supplied by Baltimore Neighborhoods. Such mterial could include Bylaws, an information manual prepared by the agenc7 J minutes, annual reports, and other operating and. budget statements . The following aspects of the agency will be c overed: a. b. purpose d. structure e. current activities and methods used to carry them out f. method of financing g. staff h. advisory groups and consultants used. by the agency i. geographic area served j. Client-group served k. 2. auspices c. • history relationship to other conmnmity agencies am organizations COIlD1'IWlity agencies arxi organizations With programs arxi interests related to Baltimore Neighborhoods--information will be obtained from the following concerning their general purpose and current program: �Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. lIavember 19, 1964 a. b. Baltimore Urban League d. Citizens Planning and HouSing Association e. • Baltimore County League for Human Rights c. • Baltimore Community Relations Commission Commission on Interracial PrOblems and Relations (State of Maryland) f. g. 3. A representative ne ighborhood Improvement association other organizations working primarIly in the field of civil rights, i.e., NAACP, CeRE, GIG. Comrmmity Chest member agencies in other cities that are working in the fi eld of housing - a questionnaire will be designed and sent to Community Chests and/or these Chest member agencies in other cities. Chest and/or agency executives will be asked to indicate whether or not the housing agencies engage in activities similar to those engaged in by Baltimore Neighborhoods, and, if they do, whether, in the opinion of these executives, Chest membership has had aqy limiting effect on their program5 and the methods of achieving their ob j ectives . They will also be asked what reaction there has been to the fact of Chest membership from various segments of the conmunity • • 4. The Bylaws and requirements f or membership in the COlllllUlity Chest of the Baltimore Area, Inc . will be considered in relation to the effect meeting such requirements might have on the operating programs of Baltimore Neighborhoods. c. Sequence of study activities 1. Secure Baltimore Neighborhoods' concurrence with this Study Plan 2. (blain approval from the HWC Agency Services Committee to undertake the study on the basis of this Study Plan �BaltImore Neighborhoods, Inc. lIove~ 19, 1964 3. ClJtain HWC Board approval for the study based on - his Study Plan t 4. Staff compilation of necessary background material to be used by the Study Committee 5. AppoIntment of a Study Committee by the President of the HWC 6. • Meetings of the Study Committee t o consider the issues and draft a report 7. Action by the HWC Board on the Committee report 8. Transmittal of the HWC approved report to the Board of Baltimore Neighborhoods D. Timing If this Study Plan is approved and the Board of the HWC author ius the study at its December, 1964 meeting, the final report should be completed by June, 1965 • • • I • I �Appendix B-1 C'ONFIDENTIAL Health and WellareCouncil of the Baltimore Area, Inc. Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Study January, 1965 10 South Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 Survey of Community Chests with Member Agencies Engaged in Housing Programs • "_un1ty "nest or . """a 1. Address N_ or 1lirector , a member-agency of your Community it mgage in fair hwsing please answer all of the following questlC1ls. chest, has a UCFtA service code designation #9909 . Does activities? Yes No. If~, If ~, pleasean-swer question S. 2. As a requirement for membership in the Conrnunity Chest, was there a basic change in that agency's: (1) overall purpose, (2) objec tives, (3) primary activity, (4) method of operation ? Yes No. If l!:.! f or any of the above, please explain the nature of the change( s ) . - • 3. Do you feel that Cheat membership has limited or restricted that agency's program or method of operatioo? Yes No. If ~J explain. �B-2 4. How did other agencies and organizaticns react to the fact of Chest membership for that type of organization? a. b. O her voluntary agencies t c. Governmental canmi..ssians or departments d. Neighborhood organizatims or associations e. Business organizatioos or associations f. • Camnunity Chest agencies Civil rights organizations g. Civic t fraternal and women I s clubs h. Religious, ethnic groups 1. Polltical groups j . Other ccmnunity groups, • Specify �B-3 5. Are there any other agencies in your CCJ!I!IWlity engaged in fair housing activities? Yes No. If l!!, please indicate: Private Member of Chest Agency Address Public Yes • 6. Ccmnenta: • • Please retum en8 copy to: Research Department Health and Welfare Council of the SLLtimore Area, Inc. 10 South Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 No �Appendix C BALTIMORE NEIGInlCllJlO(lJS, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTCllS - 1965 • CFFICERS • President - Stanley I. Panltz Vice-President - Frank T. Gray Vice-President - Henry G. Parks, Jr. Secretary - Robert J. Martineau Treasurer - Miss Catherine Byrne Miss Catherine Byrne Richard L. Cover Marshall Jones Frank A. Kaufman Robert J. Martineau stan lay 1. Panitz Henry G. Parks, Jr. Mrs. John B. Ramsay, Jr. Donald N. Rothman Rev. Anthony P. Dziwulski Rev. Herbert O. Edwards Frank T. Gray William B. Guy, Jr. Sidney Hollander, Jr. Guy T. O. HolJo>day Dr. Alfred B. Starratt Francis N. Iglehart, Jr. Melvin J. Sykes Rev. James C. Thomson Roger J. Johnson Rev. Fred Webber ADVISCllY BOARD G. Cheston Carey • George Carroll Alaxander S. Coohran Dr. Leon Eisenberg Hsnry P. Irr Louis B. Kohn, II Edgar A. Levi Rabbi Morris Lieberman Grinnell W Locke . December 1964 Dr. Eugene Meyer Mrs. Mary Meyer George R. Morris M. Peter Moser Francis D. Murnaghan J Jr. Henry E. Niles James W. Rouse Mal Sherman Alexander stark Hon. Robert B. Watts � 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 Study of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. Description An account of the resource Report written by the Health and Welfare Council of the Baltimore Area, Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1965-06 Subject The topic of the resource Greater Baltimore Committee, Inc. Health and Welfare Council Discrimination in housing Neighborhoods Baltimore Metropolitan Area (Md.) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Health and Welfare Council of the Baltimore Area, Inc . 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 bni01.01.10a Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Baltimore Neighborhoods, Incorporated Records (R0015-BNI), series I, box 1, folder 10, 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 Metropolitan Area (Md.) Discrimination in housing Greater Baltimore Committee Health and Welfare Council Inc. Neighborhoods https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/d595475ba9024f3b93aa924a38f4e132.pdf?Expires=1773878400&Signature=E42aPaU7EBJChZquPdD8kyu5zQwpnh%7E-X1IakHQmbrohX7GK8xkDsk0bsi--%7EIYffjEe3YMhDXkN9voMpkeYSE%7E%7ECg00PwFDJnQ66cxO3B8927lX7uI6t4H1hEbU%7ErrGtBqU7e5NuxjCyvYNgYGjg8yfINO-MXjLP6uYgD1-tkkKxFI4qNMr9Zjs04lm5cg04RnhSgdw2505POu4VtLGLoj0G9ia1ryvqy4N%7E7bHB0o9JXyeMTKD1F2Zt0WkF9U2imxAsgvJHET8yjpCPlhvssfZ1KlVykykmdhN9SCJryyESp%7EiIO9KUc2WwmqxtiOzbRTaUGEOtTjhsUmmaLvRAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 8f175e727faba07750607ead97475ae5 PDF Text Text " , < :A , , • •• •, • Baltimore, Maryland July 2, 1958 Charles B. Buck, Esq., Chalraan Greater Bal~ore Committee, Inc. Mathieson Bldg. Baltimore 2, Maryland Dear Mr. Buck: The purpose of this letter is to solicit the cooperation of the Greater Baltimore Committee in the solution of What has becoae possibly Baltimore's most serious single problem - the rapid conversion of large areas of the 01 ty from all-wbi te to complete Negro occupancy. Until a few years ago neighborhood changes bad taken place primarily in row house or multi-family areas--generally in the less desirable and more congested parts of the city. Recently. however, area after area of substantial detached homes in Bal~ore's finest reSidential sections have been undergoing rapid changes from white to Negro occupancy_ This bas been taking place in Windsor Bills, Ashburton, Fairmount, Boward Park, Forest Park, Gwynn oak, Arlington, Ptalico, Irvington, Montebello, Northwood, etc. Even in these fine neighborhoods the traditional pattern of neighborhood change has continued. First there is occupancy by a few Negro families. Almost imII.edia tely the area becomes "off UJai ta" to new wh! te purchasers. The prilDary efforts of real estate agents becoJle directed to sales to the Negro COllDun! ty 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 effective Negro demand. Desirable homes Which cannot be sold either to white or Negro home owners simply deteriorate. Financially stable home owners are replaced by renters--usually of much lower means. The implications of the new dimensions of neighborhood change for the future of the Baltimore metropolitan area are far-reaching and alarming. Unless this pattern of displacement of the financially stable White families within the city is changed, it will be only a question of time before Bal~ore becomes and lower-income Whites. a~st completely a community of Negroes If this happens, the Charles Center, the Civic Center and the cultural facilities of the city will be less attractive to the major portion of their potential users. Tbe market for downtown business will falloff sharply. Assessments and tax revenue will decline, and the financial position of the city will deteriorate. - Page 1 - The decline of the city �'f Charles H. Buck, Esq., Chai~ Greater Baltimore Committee July 2, 1958 as both • business and cultural center will be a serious 108s to almost everyone in the entire Baltimore area. The problem. in BaltiJllore 1s becoa1nq more serious every day. The demand for more &egro bousing is continuing to increase at an accelerating rate. The Negro comaunity, which has always lived in inadequate housing, is expanding rapidly. This demand will be intensified as a result of housing dislocation brought about by urban renewal developalents in the city such as the Area 12 Proj ect and the impending Eas_eat Highway, which will mean that as many as 30, 000 families-most of thea Negroes--will need new housing within the next few years. There is virtually no supply of new construction to .eet this demand. Some of these fUlil1es will purchase existing homes. Others will have to aeek rental housing~pr~rily in areas that have already begun to change. This will increase the rate of overcrowding in aany of the now fine neighborhoods. This will also mean that if these areas beeoae overcrowded, Reqro fUl11ies of IDOre substantial means will again look for better housing. extending still further the areas of change-- eventually into the suburbs.1 In the past, neighborhood change was cODsidered .are a moral than an economic problem. More recently. however. the econoaic iaplications have become increasingly apparent to bu.1neas men and city planners, and have been featured by auch lead1nq business journals as Fortune and The Wall Street Journal . as well as in T1Jae. Newsweek, I and other newspapers and magazines. Although time is growing short in Baltimore, it is still possible to deal with the problem effectively. The Greater Baltimore Committee. as representative of the mobilized business community of Baltimore, is in a strategic position to take the lead in stimulating the interest and creating the maChinery necessary for a solution. The Com.ittee could, as one of the possible courses of action, undertake the project of organizing a conference of responsible business and community leaders for presentation and discussion of the problem. Such a conference would include real estate .en, bankers, lawyers, city planners, educators and others. One of the results of such a conference might be the organization of an appropriate agency or inst! tution which would have continuing responsibility for the solution of the problem. This agency might include as part of its program: 1. Stimulating the construction of new housing available to Negroes-- - Page 2 - �•, Charles H. Buck, Esq., Chairman Greater Baltimore eo..ittee July 2. 1958 perhaps the most iaportant single method of alleviating the pressure on existing bousing in the city. 2. Developing a concerted public relations progr.... designed to bring urban living back into fashion. and to create a climate in whicb mixed occupancy is accepted as something that can be lived with rather than reaisted as soaething which .uat be run frca. 3. Helping neighborbood associations financially in preventing deterioration. 4. Providing epecial aSSistance, financial and otherwise, necessary to stimulate renewed interest on the part of White purchasers in .any of the available areas in the city. 5. Enlisting the cooperation of real estate brokers in the preservation of the City. and in the prevention of practicea Which proaote panic and instabili ty. The Baltiaore business community bas already applied imaginative and bold thinking to the problem of rehabilitation of the downtown area. But a city is not only buildings, a city. fundamentally. is its people. This saae type of bold and imaginative thinking must also be applied to the problelll of What type of population we want the future Baltiaore to bave. Whatever may be the solution ultimately, whether along the lines above projected or otherwise. the iJaportant point is that the problem 18 now one Which must be squarely faced up to, and only a direct attack upon it by the effective people in the business COIIIIIIuni ty holds any bope for solution. We earnestly request the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Greater BaltiJaore COmaittee at your earllest convenience to discuss this lIatter at greater length. Respectfully your •• / If · door Hil'S\\lJI~~v_ent A.soc ation /\JA.<~-4.-.~~, By. Sidn6v Hollander. Jr. AsQburton Area A8sociation By. - Page 3 - ~~. ~ RO • President, and �Charles H. Buck. Esq., Chairman Greater Baltimore Committee July 2. 1958 1mproveaent Association pre.ident By: Faif i t ASsociates: I nc. i ~:yj It ~;!Vl.A (Lo-..,--,,By: Joseph R. Hirschmann, President ~t~Exl~e Director Baltimore Urban League e.£J...?/~ SUluel T. Daniels, Executive Secretary ) Maryland Commission on Interracial Problema and Relations Citizens Pl ing and Ho ~:lflt By: F - page 4 - nk~. Gray. Vi ing Association e esident � 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 Solicitation of Cooperation with the Greater Baltimore Committee by Neighborhood Associations Description An account of the resource Correspondence writen to Charles B. Buck, Esq. of the Greater Baltimore Committee by Sidney Hollander, Jr. of the Windsor Hills Improvement Association, Ellsworth E. Rosen and Mevin J. Sykes of the Ashburton Area Association, John P. Mollett of the Mount Royal Improvement Association, Joseph R. Hirschmann of the Fairmount Associates, Inc., Furman Templeton of the Baltimore Urban League, Samuel T. Daniels of the Maryland Commission on Interracial Problems and Relations, and Frank T. Gray of the Citizens Planning and Housing Association of Baltimore. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1958-07-02 Subject The topic of the resource African Americans Housing Civic leaders Citizens' associations Neighborhoods Social stability Greater Baltimore Committee, Inc. Baltimore Metropolitan Area (Md.) Hollander, Sidney, 1881-1972 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hollander, Jr., Sidney, et al 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 bni01.01.06b Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Baltimore Neighborhoods, Incorporated Records (R0015-BNI), series I, box 1, folder 6, 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. 1881-1972 African Americans Baltimore Metropolitan Area (Md.) Citizens' associations Civic leaders Greater Baltimore Committee Hollander Housing Inc. Neighborhoods Sidney Social stability https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/44124/archive/files/395566ef42610a204860a97b7466f45e.pdf?Expires=1773878400&Signature=dw4B670NkLPdH91-twClpF7u-WZIz%7EgsXoWGwHlnGPuCuCKhnhrMpUbZc9zMA5RYRarMoVUCT96OOaagG9DVlMu-OHFvHPmHdUw5JiiXkra6b1049kbFVOtyz2hNBCc9IOIx5rE-wGx8VMb4bsa97lzFjywdYJ%7Etozsv46taOecLwCeV6EgN0Ov9qyc-59yx8FwGc-ElQXGkaTU3nsUB64hwmYG1MbfmtHoMYFo3goLLdNOFEVnGaSeQnhfyB5cdp2tD2CqnkDJuvy1wijNHs2SbG2qlEMYM8CNmc4EY57mOo19JFox-Tej475ghWnF7Tu34XAhlYFNQiDR9FPq5PA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM a09504f03fc71e0fb139272cdde4d5aa PDF Text Text • ~. a ,DCNT T DI . ... ... "Ill " : • • • ,. .T \',a: PItU,c ... r ' .. .. U . . . ,LL.. • . " ".. ~ ,,,:,,' • • 11'1 , ....... w''-!.>A'' TU.......... . . D. • UY, J~_ REAL ESTATE BOARO OF GREATER BALTImORE C • • ,LI...... ..., .. .... " 7 EAST LEXINGTON ST .• BALTIMORE 2, MARYlAND- PLAZA 2-85]7 C .... 'U .. .. " " . .AY PITT . . .. _ • .......... .,.. U ....... . April 20 , 1959 Mr . William Boucher , III Executive Director Greater Baltimore Committee Mathieson Building Baltimore 2, Maryland Dear B111: The article on the back page of this morning ' s Sun 1n which you were quoted 8S stating that some ~mbers of the Real Estate Board are engaged 1n block bustlng and playing on prejudices and tears to create sales for themselves 1s rather puzzling to me . If you were quoted correctly , I should l i ke to believe that you would have re ported any specific case invol ving fraud or misrepresentation on the part of a Realtor to this office . It woul d 8eem to me, and I believe you'll agree , that fraud or misrepresentation would have to be evident in cases involving block busting according to your definition of the term . As you well know , an important article of the Realtors' Code of Ethics provide. that it i. the Realtor ' . duty to protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation or unethical practices in the real estate field . The eXistence of this provision was made quite clear during several meetings leading to the formation of Baltimore Neighborhoods , Inc . , at which you were present . As a matter of fact, you were quoted in the News Post of February 12 as stating that Baltimore Nei ghborhoods , Inc ., planned to back a proposed City Council ordinance a gainst bl ock busti ng which would be modeled after or be similar to the Realtors I Code of Ethics . As I explained to you in my letter of February 16 , 1959 , the Real Estate Board was of the opinion that it could not become part of Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc ., because of that organization's intent to Btimula~the acceptance of housing on an open occupany basis . However , we shall continue our interest in this problem and, of course , are particularly concerned over statements such as yours regarding the activities of Realtors . �~~ . William Boucher , III - 2- April 20 , 1959 If you are• ever aware of any specific cases in which it 1s believed that any Realtor is engaged 1n fraud or misrepresentation , please inform this office immediately . • HAMJ>lOND Executive Vice President CWlI:mj cc: Mr . Sidney H. Tinley , Jr . � 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 Response to Media by the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore Description An account of the resource Correspondence written by C.W. Hammond of the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore to William Boucher III of the Greater Baltimore Committee Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-04-20 Subject The topic of the resource Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore Greater Baltimore Committee, Inc. Discrimination in housing Social integration Social integration Real estate business Ethics Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hammond, C.W. 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 bni01.01.06a Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Baltimore Neighborhoods, Incorporated Records (R0015-BNI), series I, box 1, folder 6, 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. Discrimination in housing Ethics Greater Baltimore Committee Inc. Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore Real estate business Social integration