jews d

in
the

continued from page 14

B NA I

2152590

000000

16

January 26 • 2017

jn

The Jewish Community Council
quently received some hate mail,”
supported the Brickley ordinance,
Kalichman says.
which prohibited discriminatory
The proposed Detroit fair housing
real estate practices and passed in
ordinance did not pass, but state
1962. During the 1960s, the Jewish
and federal legislation was approved
Community Council met with real
soon after. Detroit’s 1967 riot was
estate agents, some of whom were
undoubtedly a more significant fac-
Jewish, especially those who were
tor than open housing laws in the
“sowing seeds of housing panic.”
white exodus from the city. However,
For example, Metropolitan Jews
some city neighborhoods have main-
tells of the Benjamin Rich real estate tained a racial mix.
agency (with the slogan “Get Rich
Gene Turner, an African American
Quick”) that distributed
Chrysler retiree, moved to
postcards to neighbors after
Green Acres in 1971 when it
selling a house to African
was “very mixed.”
Americans. The postcard
“We didn’t have any
stated: “You have a new
problems,” he says. “[Yet] I
neighbor. If you want to sell
wouldn’t say I got invited
your house, see us for quick
to all of the neighbor-
action and top price.”
hood parties.” Some years
While aggressive sales tac-
later, they moved to the
Sen. Carl Levin
tics were criticized by city
University District. “We sort
agencies and religious orga-
of upgraded,” Turner says.
nizations, one prominent
Once a year, the neighbor-
Realtor denied that agents
hood holds a reunion, and
were the problem. He said
former residents who return
that homeowners should
are surprised at how nice the
“look into their own hearts.”
area is, he says. There is an
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, recent-
influx of younger residents
ly retired, was then general
and housing prices have
counsel for the new Michigan Gene Turner
increased.
Civil Rights Commission
Reginald Stuart, now a
and Michigan’s assistant
retired journalist, moved
attorney general. In 1968, he took on
with his family to Green Acres in
a fair housing case involving Pulte, a
1975. He found the neighborhood to
suburban developer, who refused to
be diverse and without any problems
sell land or houses to blacks, claiming
for African Americans.
there was no legal guarantee of non-
His friend and neighbor, Ruth
discrimination in housing.
Kahn, who has lived on Renfrew in
Levin won the case on behalf
Green Acres for 59 years, says, “I’m
of Freeman Moore, an African
very comfortable here. My neighbors
American who sought to buy a
are lovely people.”
Pulte home in a new subdivision
Another Jewish Green Acres
near 13 Mile Road and Lahser. The
homeowner says the neighborhood
ADL, Jewish Community Relations
was 60 to 70 percent white when
Council, Michigan Council of
she moved in about 30 years ago. “It
Churches and other organiza-
became a friendlier neighborhood
tions supported Moore’s case. The
as it became more integrated. There
Michigan Supreme Court ruled
are more young people now,” she
there was a guaranteed right of non- notes.
discrimination in housing. After
Harriet Berg and her husband,
that, Levin said, developers couldn’t
Irv, sold their house on Snowden
openly discriminate.
in 1983, when he no longer wanted
Many Jews joined the Greater
to handle home maintenance and
Detroit Commission for Fair Housing stairs.
Practices. However, some members
“We planned to buy a smaller
differentiated between discrimina-
house in Huntington Woods,” she
tion in public and private housing,
says. “We rented an apartment for a
and Jewish leaders did not necessar- year in the Park Shelton [in Midtown
ily advocate that Jews should remain near the Detroit Institute of Arts]
in integrated neighborhoods.
and liked it so much we stayed and
Miriam Kalichman, M.D., a
bought a condominium here.
retired pediatrician who grew up in
“People would say that Detroit
Detroit’s University District, recalls
is coming back, and I said, ‘not in
when her mother, Bettie Kalichman,
my lifetime,’ but I was wrong,” Berg
testified at City Council on behalf
says. “Every week a new restaurant
of an open housing ordinance. “She
opens and there is a Chabad House
appeared on television and subse-
nearby.” •