Service
By
\ DBTROrr-A tenaDtwhowas
going on a bitter rent strike
against her landlord once got
into a warm, friendly, conversa-
tion with the landlord's little
daughter. Observing t&is scene,
the landlord turned to the
tenant saying wistfully, "I don't
know why we can't get along."
. Jay Kaplan, Director of the
LandlordITena t MediaHon
Service of Wayne County
Neighborhood Legal Services,
n es that many landlord tenant
disputes do not involve slum
landlords or neglectful tenants,
. but people with good intentions,
who do ndt communicate. .
SE VICE OW OPEN
The mediation service
opened Thursday February n to
help landlords and tenant
within the boundaries of the City
of Detroit settle differences
without the hostility of a court
battle. Tliose interested in such
a ervice or churches, social
worke bloc clubs, citizen dis
trict councils or other com
munity organizations who want
to refer others there, should call
962-0466 ext 1f>7.
In court cases, Kaplan
noted, both sides are adver- .
sarie , with one side judged
right, the other wrong and each
" trying to prove the other to
blame. In mediation, there is no
,"
I
hopesl ItO
QUICKER RESULTS
Kaplan added that citizens
have to wait less time being
served in mediation programs
than they would in cases going to
court.
Emphasizing it was not
legally binding for either party
. to make an agreement and there
I
, �i t I .
ttracting Aft" can .Amer" an
question of who is "at fault", but
a third party works together ith
both .sides to help them find a
way to solve their problems.
"If mediation is successful,
both sides win." Kaplan said.
"Mediation enhances the self
respect of both parties"
As an example, Kaplan
notes, how many tenants go on a
rent strike, withholding money
in order to force a landlord to
make repairs. The Michigan
Tenant's Right Law allows
tenants to withhold rent when a
landlord does not keep condi
tions up to legal housing codes.
In some cases, however,
Kaplan note a landlord may
GOP's working on
By Rhonda B. Sewell
Capital News Service
LANSING -The Republican
party has no traditionally at-
. tracted the Black and Hispanic
vote, but the GOP is trying to
change it philosophy, said
House Minority Leader Paul
Hillegonds, R-Holland.
In an interview,. Hillegonds
said minorities -- especially
African Americans -- have lar
gely been loyal to the
Democratic party.
But, the Republican party is
beginning to become more sens
tive to the concerns of minority
groups - particularly tho e in
, urban areas.
"What we are seeing those
groups demographically is a
ense that the Democratic
philosophy, which has been -
centralized government and to
try and assure equal opportunity
through government spending -
not be very successful," Hil
legonds said.
"You are now seeing more in
terest in h Republican
philosophy which is - you can't
guarantee an equal outcome
th ough spending government
m ney.
But government must be ac
tive in guaranteeing the oppor
tunity to succeed after one com
petes in the private market
place."
LOYAL TO DEMOCRATS '
Michigan Democratic Party
chairman Richard Wiener said
African Americans and
Hispanics tend to be loyal to the
Democratic party because of its
responsivene to the working
class.
"VI e've always done well in
appearling to all et pic
groups, "Wiener said. "The
Democratic party is the most
caring of the needs f working
men nd women bot Black and
wJ.lite and to those who are out
of work. ,
\ r Because of that both Blacks
and whites and others tend to
vote as Democrats ... our party
is sensitive, moreso than the
Republican party, to their
needs."
WE' ener added that Blacks
have en the most "consistent
and ophisticated" voters, but
the Democratic party also ap
peals to the Michigan's 1 per
cent population of Hispanics.
\.
sincerely see such an action as nothing preventing either
an insult, and may face practical (rpm going to court, if the
difficulties about making ¥ation process seemed un-
repairs without rent money to ,'. f.c�ptable, Kaplan admitted
pay (I them. hat there were some cases
Under mediation, the tenant . re mediation did Dot repre-
may agree to negotiate a e t the best solution.
schedule where certain repairs Kapla noted that a taskJ
were made after partial pay- of the 36th district court
meats, Kaplan stated studies ested the idea of such a
have shown that parties are pr am and the Detroit City
more ready to live up to terms .C neil provided a grant of
that they "play an active role- in �,ooo through their Neigh-
setting. than they are to fulfill hood Opportunity Fund, be-
court orders set by a judge. e council members saw it as
In mediation, Kaplan � ay of rehabilitating and
added, people see each other.. .. existing housing in the
face to face as persons, come to oflhe loss ,of housing stock
understand their �ncerns, and ugh neglect and deteroira-
find it harder to dismiss each Because the grant came
other with labels and the City of Detroit, the
stereotypes. An absentee . I .
landlord, for instance, with
many large apartments might be
more able to understand what it
is like to live in bad conditions
. after meeting with a tenant and
developing a personal relation
ship in mediation.
me
Inspite of Wiene 's faith in
African American and Hispanic
Democratic voters, Hillegonds
senses an increasing interest
among minorities in the
Republican party. .
But, the Republican party
has made mistakes in the past in
diverting'its attention away from
. the minority vote, he added.
"The Republican party must
began to attract the increasing
population of Hispanics in
Michigan and nationally by be
coming more sensitive to issues
affecting that group, Hillegonds
said.
'GOP NEED SE SITlVITV'
"If you look at the party na
tionally, the Hispanic vote is a
key targeted group, he added.
"Quite frankly it was for that
reason I was yery disappointed
that the state party listed as one
of its Issues - whether or not we
should make English the
primary language. I think that
ends out a bad signal - per
sonally I'm not opposed to bili -
gual eduoation. Hillegonds aid
African Americans are a harder
group to at ract the GOP, be- .
cause of loyalty to the
II
rogram can only se e Detroit
sidents, but if other cities
ce it, Kaplan indicates that
e service wi I assist other
eas.
Kaplan ho that chu ch
ganizatio b clubs social
orkers in the epartment of
ocial Services d citizen dis
. ct councils . t refer people
t the mediati service, and
otes similar ediation or
. tions have been success
in divorce an custody cases,
n ighborhood isputes, and
. or criminal es where the
v ctim and t e criminal
n gotiate restitution, instea of
t . g the matter to trial.
, "Such a service can bring
e commun itrf togelher."
plan stated.
'.
<DFFICE HOURS ARE
2133 CADILLAc;, TO ER BUILDING,
DETROIT 8226
CKO FU D
Hillegonds said insufficient
nding also remains to be a. et-
b ek and major "dilemma" for
t Michigan Rep blican p rty
i a tracting the Black nd
ispanic vote.
"One of our dilemmas as a
H use Republic n Caucus is
th t we don't have sufficient'
m ney to support all 110 can
di ales, so we end up having to
t e tho e races here we have
o best opportunity to win - that
us ally means that the urban dis
tri ts where there's a 70 percent
id ntified Democratic vote
ha dcore upfrent is not high on
ou target list."
I think what we need to do is
do more recruitment of not only
ou tanding Black candidates
wh ar willing to ru on the
Re ublic ticket, but also recruit
rms of staffing and political
rtunities for Black students
professional ho are will
to go to work for the
ublican party, Hillegonds
d.