ANTERO PIETILA SPEAKS TO HUD STAFF AND GUESTS FOR FAIR HOUSING MONTH

BALTIMORE, MD - Author and former Baltimore Sun reporter Antero Pietila spoke to an enthusiastic and very interested group composed of HUD and other federal agency staff and community guests at a recent event to commemorate Fair Housing Month. Designed to call attention to the passage of the Fair Housing Act, Fair Housing Month is celebrated throughout HUD and the nation through hallmark events highlighting the reason for the act's passage.

The Baltimore FHEO Director Debra McGhee, in concert with the Baltimore Field Office Director Carol Payne, hosted Antero Pietila author of Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City. Baltimore HUD staff, members of the Housing Authority of Baltimore City's Resident Council, including the Resident Council's executive director and president and Army Corps of Engineers staff, listened with rapt attention as Pietila recounted the history of segregation in Baltimore and the nation and how federal policy and housing policy locally destined where African Americans, other minorities and Jews lived. Enforced through zoning and, later, restrictive covenants, over 60 guests heard Pietila present a history of segregation in Baltimore and how these policies created the patterns of segregated residential housing observed in Baltimore even today. Blacks were only allowed to buy homes in certain parts of Baltimore and the Baltimore Sun's own classified ad policy reinforced this restriction by relegating the for sale section of minority real estate offerings to "coloreds." A similar policy was instituted for the Jewish population of Baltimore through real estate practice and through classified ads relegated to a section of the paper titled "restricted."

Begun as early as the late 1800's with significant thrust being added in 1910 and continuing through the Depression and World War II, the restrictive housing policies emerged as the framework for housing segregation in Baltimore and elsewhere. Other influences to this pattern existed in the late 50's through the 60's and 70's. Pietila explained that there were some attempts to change this general approach in specific neighborhoods, but the attempts generally failed eventually creating an all African American community. "Not in my neighborhood" was the prevailing attitude and practice by majority communities.

Mr. Pietila's presentation was received with thunderous applause and many in the audience had questions that were readily answered by the author. He was given a matted and framed watercolor rendition of the Basilica of the Assumption dome in Baltimore. A light lunch was served and Mr. Pietila mingled with the assembled guests and autographed copies of his significant work for people in attendance.

Carol Payne, Field Office Director, invited Mr. Pietila, at the request of participants, to return to the office for a future talk that will illuminate his thoughts on progress that has been made in this arena since the publication of his landmark work.

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