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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 3

1. Des Moines

The Des Moines open meeting on October 16, 1962 was the first of its kind in Iowa to consider housing problems growing out of Urban Renewal. It was devoted to obtaining information from representatives of the Urban Renewal Office, the Council of Social Agencies, the NAACP, and from individuals not representing particular organizations. Although they had been invited, no representatives of the City Government were present, except for the staff of the Urban Renewal Office. Moreover, the city fathers had not indicated that they would be unable to attend.

The information from the Urban Renewal staff consisted of an explanation of the operation of the Urban Renewal Program in Des Moines. Staff members presented maps and charts to show the percentages of white and nonwhite families which had been relocated, where they had gone, and what services had been provided them. They reported that nonwhite families had not been restricted to particular neighborhoods, but were dispersed widely in middle-income neighborhoods.

Representatives of the Council of Social Agencies commented on the progress of Urban Renewal in Des Moines, a program with which it has cooperated almost from the beginning. They pointed out what a major obstacle in the effective operation of an Urban Renewal Program was to find adequate housing for all displaced families within the price range which the families could afford. They emphasized the fact that standard housing is required, not housing that is just as good as that from which some families had moved.

For the nonwhite family the problem is serious. Out of a listing of 212 vacancies submitted by the Real Estate Board, and on which detailed information was available, only one percent was available to nonwhite families. It was further pointed out that when Negroes did apply for rental property, the price went up, from, for example, $65 per month to $80 per month.

Information collected by the Council of Social Agencies supports the contention of the Urban Renewal staff that it did provide services to displaced nonwhite families, the following table was taken from a report made by the Council of Social Agencies.

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1. Des Moines The Des Moines open meeting on October 16, 1962 was the first of its kind in Iowa to consider housing problems growing out of Urban Renewal. It was devoted to obtaining information from representatives of the Urban Renewal Office, the Council of Social Agencies, the NAACP, and from individuals not representing particular organizations. Although they had been invited, no representatives of the City Government were present, except for the staff of the Urban Renewal Office. Moreover, the city fathers had not indicated that they would be unable to attend. The information from the Urban Renewal staff consisted of an explanation of the operation of the Urban Renewal Program in Des Moines. Staff members presented maps and charts to show the percentages of white and nonwhite families which had been relocated, where they had gone, and what services had been provided them. They reported that nonwhite families had not been restricted to particular neighborhoods, but were dispersed widely in middle-income neighborhoods. Representatives of the Council of Social Agencies commented on the progress of Urban Renewal in Des Moines, a program with which it has cooperated almost from the beginning. They pointed out what a major obstacle in the effective operation of an Urban Renewal Program was to find adequate housing for all displaced families within the price range which the families could afford. They emphasized the fact that standard housing is required, not housing that is just as good as that from which some families had moved. For the nonwhite family the problem is serious. Out of a listing of 212 vacancies submitted by the Real Estate Board, and on which detailed information was available, only one percent was available to nonwhite families. It was further pointed out that when Negroes did apply for rental property, the price went up, from, for example, $65 per month to $80 per month. Information collected by the Council of Social Agencies supports the contention of the Urban Renewal staff that it did provide services to displaced nonwhite families, the following table was taken from a report made by the Council of Social Agencies. 3