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Show by Kirk Terry The earliest Americans, the Indians, had the right idea when it came to housing. If they were forced out of their community because of the expanding growth of other community efforts, such as finding a forty story building or shopping plaza built next to' their teepees, up they went and away they fled - home and all. Now days when the same skyscraper climbs up into the clear sky, and that shopping center rolls out like a "red economic carpet" the urban dweller packs up, moves away, and most likely his old home is torn down. As far as the present standard of local low income housing, tenants can't find adequate within their housing budgets. The poverty cycle continues as the low income tenant is evicted because his house is to be torn down for new modern high-risbuildings and he must accept housing in generally inferior e buildings. Model Neighborhood News went to the public to seek its opinion, the opinions of the urban tenant, in order to get their perspective of the crisis. General concensus of those giving their opinion was that the city and developers tear down buildings, don't replace them with new housing, raise the already too high rents and that low-incom- e owners are not maintaining suitable standards of housing. May Fox, 82, living at the Swing Apartments, a low income apartment building, said: "If this building is torn down, have no idea what in the world will happen to me." Receiving only family assistance money and medical expenses, Mrs. Fox says the shortage of low income housing is a crisis. "I wish they had put the Salt Palace down on the fair grounds where it belongs. She said the expansion of construction like the Salt Palace and the purchased landadjacentto the Palace, severly I the tenant space available for urban housing jeopardizes construction. Fox said as solutions to the housing crisis and the low standard of housing, the city and building owners should refurbish the blighted areas and that rent shouldn't iocrease( at the same time. She said that as buildings Mrs. are torn down, the city should insure that new buildings replace the razed housing at prices people can afford. But, she said, "the city wont do anything to help anyway." Erma Anderson sees the housing crisis from the viewpoint of "too many tenant buildings being torn down." Mrs. Anderson said that city planners and community developers should build more homes for the low income family. Mrs. Anderson said that another solution to the standard of living found in the shortage of housing could be curbed if the jobless were given work to increase their incomes. She said this would probably result in families being able to afford better housing and lighten the Eviction notices plague low income tenants. demand for less expensive housing. By rents being raised, said Mrs. Anderson, the shortage of low income units is again increased because it limits those units available at the lower rent prices. "I don't like living in this dump," said Joe Prock, commenting on the shortage of housing and the subsequent standard of housing. "The way see it, they tear down buildings, but don't replace them." Mr. Prock said that he knows two divorced women, one with two children, the other with three, that have to share a common apartment because they can't find adequate housing. Prock says he wants to see the city construct new, acceptable housing for the low income tenant. Another solution, he said, would be for the city and building owners to improve existing housing when it is I Some tenants don't take care of property because it was in deplorable condition when they rented it. capable of being improved. Another Way To Get Involved . . Join The Housing Task Force . |