The Residential Service has filed a complaint with the Justice Department regarding a real estate speculator who has operated in the neighborhood in a discriminatory manner.
The complaint states that an agent for the Armin Bain Realty Co. spoke with a neighborhood resident and claimed that no white people would ever buy in this neighborhood. He further claimed that the neighborhood was “gone.”
Consequently, that Company advertised the property for sale only in black newspapers and showed the property solely to black clients. Mr. Andrew Ruzicho of the Justice Department said that after the complaint was forwarded to Washington, D.C., the Residential Service would hear the decision of that Department.
On Jan. 11 at an open meeting, members of the Residential Service decided to try to discourage neighborhood residents from using speculator real estate companies, and to instead concentrate on finding men and women from the community who have real estate licenses to work for them in the event that they wish to sell property. A list of residents who have licenses is being compiled and if there are additions to it that information can be given to Anna Bush at the SDCC office, 862-5122. The list will be published with an article on the role of speculators in neighborhood deterioration in the next issue of The Paper.
Joan Bender and Suzanne Hart were selected co-chairmen of the Residential Service at the meeting, and the decision taken to strengthen the block information-gathering resources of the Service. With the Spring real estate season approaching many members felt that a big public relations push on the neighborhood is in order.
The files of Houses for Sale and Rent is active and can be used at the Skinker DeBaliviere CC Office. Anna Bush will take information regarding property or prospective buyers.
The next meeting of the Residential Service will be on Feb. 7 at 7:30 in the SDCC Office at 6008 Kingsbury. The main topic will be the Kingsbury Redevelopment Plan and the meeting is open to all interested residents.
Originally published in The Paper, February 1972.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1972_02.pdf, printed page 3.
