02-02-42 Council Special Meeting Minutes

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The extent to which defense workers will avail themselves of the opportunity to tenant a project depends, of course, on local conditions, and a particular project may have relatively few defense workers - the balance of tenants being obtained from the low income families residing in slums - or it may be filled with defense workers. It should be clearly understood, however, that this pref- erence for defense workers will exist only for the duration of the defense emergency. 'I£ this information is not sufficient, or if you have further questions, please let us know." Some few days later, Mr. Clarence Keller of the Local Authority, came to my office to discuss the housing situation and in the course of the discussion stated that in order for the project to secure approval, it would be necessary for the Authority to increase the income bracket for eligibility of those living in the project dwellings from $12000 ' 00, as originally,stated to the Council, to $2100.00. This was necessary in order that defense workers would be eligible to live in the project. Because of the confusion occasioned by the difference between the various surveys, as pointed out .previously in this letter, and by the changed conditions brought about by the emergency, I told Mr. Keller I would make a personal in- vestigation in Washington and then make a report to your body. In Washington in conference with Mr. Starr, Mr. Bergeron, Mr. Hahn and Mr. Posniak, it was decided that Mr. Posniak should come to South Bend, get in touch with Mr. Pittman and together they would spot check the survey for accuracy and thus determine whose figures were most nearly correct as to housing conditions. Mr. Posniak spent spent Monday and Tuesday of last week here'.checking with Mr. Pittman various areas in the city and at the conclusion of this check, they handed me the following joint report of their findingsr "`Report on the Low Rent Housing Market in South Bend by Mr. Clare E. Pittman, Acting Executive Director, Housing Authority of South Bend, and Edwar& G. Posniak, regional Research Advisor, Region V, United States Housing Authority. "We have analyzed the .Low -Rent Housing Market in South Bend on the basis of the W.P.A. Survey of Low - Rent housing Needs, as compared with the Federal Cansus of 1940 and the Real Property Inventory of 1936. Having checked the survey data with these sources, we have made a joint spot check of alk areas covered in the survey by inspection of structures selected at random.. "'On the basis of these spot checks and comparisons, we believe that the total number of dwelling units, which are sub - standard, is 6,222. We believe that this total represents an ample market for the hous- ing projects under consideration, even when account is taken of a possible reversion of the defense housing units to low -rent housing purposes after the end of the war emergency. 'It is our belief that the original understatement of sub - standard units in the survey was due to such inevitable factors as the relative lack of qualifications of the personnel furnished by the W.P.Q« because of the shortage of available man power and the frequent curtailments of the service staff during the course of the survey. We believe that these defects were such that they could not be over- come by the best of supervision and training." In the conference in Washington, Mr. Starr stated that in order for the project to proceed, it would be necessary to increase the income bracket of those eligible to live in the project to approximately $2100.00. This in order that defense workers would be eligible and that preference must be given to defense workers in filling the project. This preference is-to last for'the period of the emergency only, and required by the necessity of securing priority rating for materials needed in the erection of the proposed project. I explained to Mr. Starr this occasioned a change of policy that would require my placing the matter before your Honorable Body for action and that I would do so at the earliest possible moment. I have asked Mr. Pittman to be present in order that he may explain any question in connection with the local survey you may wish to ask. I have also asked the members of the Local Housing Authority to be present in order that this subjbct may be thorougi ly discussed. From the outset, I have maintained that should the results of the local survey indicate the need here for a housing project, I would favor it; on the other hand, if the results did not indicate a need, I would not favor it. I have only one concern and that is that the citizens of South Bend be properly and adequately housed. I am con- cerned that those, who, because of insufficient income for reasons beyond their control, have sanitary, safe and proper housing. I am sure that is the desire of your body. I do not believe the Local Authority or the U.S. Housing Authority have any desire to place in South Bend housing that is not needed. In order that you may have a picture of the housing situation as it is today, let me state that as of January 23rd, there was still unfilled in the Southmore Defense Housing Project 187 dwelling units. Within the next thirty days, the 250 units of the Mutual Housing Corporation on East Jefferson Boulevard'will be available, making a total of 437 defense dwelling units open for occupancy* labor situation among our leading defense industries insofar as I can determine is as follows: Studebaker Corporation writes: "'On my return to the city yesterday, I found your communication of January 5th and regret very much that I was not here to answer it prior to last Thursday. "A statement regarding the anticipated increase of employees during the year 1942 would be of little value, inasmuch as the employment.situation in the Automotive Industry is changing so frequently that it is difficult to make any reasonably accurate estimate. From all appearances at the present time, it is not likely that we will be able to place all of the displaced automobile workers in our Aviation Plants." Oliver Farm Equipment Company writes: "At the present time we have employed in Plant #1 on Chapin Street, 1.,356. In Plant #2, on Walnut Street, we have employed at the present time, 87. "We contemplate increasing our payroll in Plant #2 to 600. Whether we will extend these figures during 1942 I cannot tell at this time because I do not know what changes will be made in our present program.