DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Burlington Commission on Human Rights, 1964-1965 | Report on Urban Renewal Programs and Their Effects on Racial Minority Group Housing in Three Iowa Cities

Transcribe
Translate

Burlington Commission on Human Rights, 1964-1965

Report on Urban Renewal Programs and Their Effects on Racial Minority Group Housing in Three Iowa Cities - Page 2

The General Assembly of Iowa, in its 1963 session, enacted a fair employment practices act.3 By this act, it becomes a crime for any employer or labor union to refuse to employ an otherwise qualified person because of his race. Unlike most fair employment practices acts, this one provides no administrative agency or machinery for investigation and evaluation of complaints in this field. The initiative is left solely with the aggrieved party. Only the county attorney may determine whether or not a cause of action exists and only he may begin judicial procedure in the courts. It is, of course, too early to assess the effectiveness of this measure.

Not only does Iowa have no law designed to eliminate discrimination in housing but it does not contain any Federally supported public housing projects. Nevertheless, it is clear, even at a superficial glance at the State scene, that the absence of equal housing opportunities for racial minorities has long been one of the key problems in the field of human relations in Iowa.

It was logical, therefore, that when the Iowa State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was reconstituted in 1962, it should set itself the task of investigating problems of minority group housing. Because of the absence of any State law assuring equality in this area, the Committee felt it should generally restrict itself to studying the effects of Urban Renewal Programs upon minority group housing within the State. It was the consensus of the Committee that some positive action could result from this study if it were found that such nationally sponsored programs were promoting or even tolerating the continuation of segregated housing. The Federal Government has the necessary legal authority to correct abuses in Federal programs; the State lacks comparable authority to alleviate discrimination in housing generally throughout Iowa.

To enable it to evaluate the existing situation intelligently, the Committee held open meetings in Des Moines, Waterloo, and Sioux City. These localities were selected because the Urban Renewal Program has reached an advanced stage of development in each of them.

Interested groups were invited to attend and to present pertinent data. They represented social work agencies, minority group spokesmen, labor unions, realtors, lending agencies, city officials, and representatives of the Urban Renewal Agency. All groups except the landing agencies were most helpful to the Committee by presenting their viewpoints. No representative of any lending agency appeared at any of the meetings.
___________
3. Ch. 330, Act of the 60th General Assembly of Iowa (1963).

2

Saving...

The General Assembly of Iowa, in its 1963 session, enacted a fair employment practices act.3 By this act, it becomes a crime for any employer or labor union to refuse to employ an otherwise qualified person because of his race. Unlike most fair employment practices acts, this one provides no administrative agency or machinery for investigation and evaluation of complaints in this field. The initiative is left solely with the aggrieved party. Only the county attorney may determine whether or not a cause of action exists and only he may begin judicial procedure in the courts. It is, of course, too early to assess the effectiveness of this measure. Not only does Iowa have no law designed to eliminate discrimination in housing but it does not contain any Federally supported public housing projects. Nevertheless, it is clear, even at a superficial glance at the State scene, that the absence of equal housing opportunities for racial minorities has long been one of the key problems in the field of human relations in Iowa. It was logical, therefore, that when the Iowa State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was reconstituted in 1962, it should set itself the task of investigating problems of minority group housing. Because of the absence of any State law assuring equality in this area, the Committee felt it should generally restrict itself to studying the effects of Urban Renewal Programs upon minority group housing within the State. It was the consensus of the Committee that some positive action could result from this study if it were found that such nationally sponsored programs were promoting or even tolerating the continuation of segregated housing. The Federal Government has the necessary legal authority to correct abuses in Federal programs; the State lacks comparable authority to alleviate discrimination in housing generally throughout Iowa. To enable it to evaluate the existing situation intelligently, the Committee held open meetings in Des Moines, Waterloo, and Sioux City. These localities were selected because the Urban Renewal Program has reached an advanced stage of development in each of them. Interested groups were invited to attend and to present pertinent data. They represented social work agencies, minority group spokesmen, labor unions, realtors, lending agencies, city officials, and representatives of the Urban Renewal Agency. All groups except the landing agencies were most helpful to the Committee by presenting their viewpoints. No representative of any lending agency appeared at any of the meetings. ___________ 3. Ch. 330, Act of the 60th General Assembly of Iowa (1963). 2