Page 10 Portland Observer JULY 27,1989
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT
CRISIS STAGE
FOR BLACKS AND HISPANIC,
STUDY SAYS
More than 40 percent of all black and Hispanic households in the United
States pay more for housing costs than the maximum amount considered
affordable under federal standards, and one-fifth of black and Hispanic
households live in substandard housing, according to a study issued today by
the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Housing problems are especially severe among poor minority house­
holds, with nearly four out o f five bearing housing costs outside the
affordable range, the Center’s analysis of new government data shows.
Under standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Devel­
opment, housing is considered affordable if it does not consume more than
30 percent of a household’s income.
Poor white households bear housing costs as high as poor blacks and
Hispanics, the study found, among all three groups, about 80 percent of
households pay at least 30 percent of income for housing and approximately
two-fifths pay at least 70 percent
However, high housing cost burdens affect black and Hispanic commu­
nities more heavily than white communities, because blacks and Hispanics
are much more likely to be poor, according to the Center report.
Some 42 percent of all black and Hispanic households-both the poor and
non-poor-paid at least 30 percent of their incomes for housing in 1985,
thereby exceeding the federal affordability standard, the Center found.
Some 27 percent of all white households bore housing costs of this
magnitude.
S ubstandard Housing Conditions Com pound Problem
The study also reported that blacks and Hispanics in general-both poor
and nonpoor-w ere much more likely than whites to live in substandard
housing. While black and Hispanic households constitute 17 percent of all
households in the United States, they make up42 percent of those occupying
substandard housing and more than half of those living in units with holes
in the floor or evidence of rats, the Center reported.
While one of every three poor black households and more than one of
every four poor Hispanic households lived in substandard housing, the
report found that significant proportions of minority households that not
p o o r- one of every six non-poor black households and one of every seven
non-poor Hispanic households-also live in substandard conditions.
In fact, the proportion of non-poor black and Hispanic households living
in substandard housing exceeded the proportion of poor white households
living in substandard housing, the study noted.
The Center’s report is base on extensive data collected by the Census
Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and
released earlier this year. Although the data describe conditions in 1985, the
Center study notes that housing cost burdens are unlikely to have eased since
then because rental costs and the average income of poor families have risen
at about the same pace since 1985.
“ These stark findings indicate that the growing lack of affordable
housing has reached a crisis stage for blacks and Hispanics, well as for low
incomeAmerican in general,” said Center Director Robert Greenstien.
According to Edward Lazere, the report’s principal author, “ These high
housing cost burdens are likely to have contributed substantially to the
New Book Looks at Development of
Black Children from Ecological
Perspective
Black children leant, as all children do, if taught with respect for their
culture and if their families are actively involved in the ecological contest
of their learning, believes Antioch College Dean of Faculty Valora W ash­
ington.
This “ ecological perspective” places the development of children in a
larger historical, social and political context, rather than the more typical
focus on individual or family problems.
• ‘Since black kids under age 16 are on-third o f the black population, their
well-being is also a good barometer of the health of the black community,”
Washington said.
A new resource book, written by Washington and Velma LaPoint of
Howard University in Washington, D.C., provides educators and scholars
with an ecological perspective on the influences of American institutions on
the development of black children.
Black Children and American Institutions: An Ecological Review and
Resource Guide (Garland Publishing, Inc. 1988) examines how major
community institutions, including family, schools, social services, child
welfare, criminal justice and physical and mental health services, help or
hinder the development of black children.
The volume provides an analysis of the applicability of theories of child
development to the specific problems o f black children from infancy to
young adulthood. It reviews demographic characteristics and looks at
changing family trends and those policy issues which have an impact on
black children. Most importantly, it provides an analysis of the relevance
and effectiveness of social programs serving black children and gives
recommendations for policy-making and family and community action.
“ Black children, regardless of social class, face unique developmental
challenges. We found that black youth have made tremendous gains in
education and they are less likely than white youth to abuse alcohol and
drugs,” Washington said. “ But still halfofblack children are impoverished
at some time in their life and there are tremendous racial differences in
critical areas such as health care and employment.”
Washington, who has a Ph.D. in child development from Indiana
University, began her studies of black child development in 1977 when she
looked into the process of classroom desegregation. She went on to study the
effects of a teacher’s race on students, children’s perceptions o f themselves
and the parental role in the educational process. Over the past five years
most of her work has been focused on Head Start programs.
The authors recommend a combination of government action and com­
munity initiatives to effectively serve the needs of individual children and
the children as a group.
The introduction to Black Children and American Institutions was
written by Dr. Andrew BiUingsley^n eminent sociologist now at the
University of Maryland. He concludes, “ The reforms advocated in this
book for improving the quality of life for black children will surely improve
the conditions of life for all children and their families. It can serve as a
signal to generations yet unborn that, at this time in history, the nation took
a great step toward enhancing human values and creating a more caring
society.
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SENIOR
TRANSPORTA­
TION FUNDING
SOURCE IN
OREGON
The availability of transportation
in Oregon for its senior citizens who
do not drive is an ongoing need ac­
cording to the Governor’s Commis­
sion on Senior Services.
In Oregon, the Public Transit Di­
vision, the Senior Services Division
and its affiliated Area Agencies on
Aging, Community Action Agencies,
cities and counties, and sheltered work­
shops and residential programs for
seniors and handicapped are funding
transportation as their budgets
penniLThe major transportation fund­
ing source in Oregon is the Public
Transit Division through which flows
federal and state funds. Programs in­
clude: 1) Small City and Rural Tran­
sit Assistance. Through this program,
cities and rural areas with popula­
tions under 50,000 receive funds to
operate and acquire vehicles for public
transportation. There are currently
28 grant recipients which support
bus and taxi system, vans and dial-a-
ride programs. 2)Elderly and Handi­
capped Capitol Assistance. This
federally funded program provides
money to purchase equipment for
social service organizations that serve
the transit needs of elderly and handi­
capped person. Federal funds pro­
vide 80 percent of equipment costs
while local agencies supply the re­
maining 20 percent. Typical equip­
ment purchases include vans, small
buses, radio dispatch units, and wheel
chair lifts. Sixty-three organizations
throughout Oregon have received
grants under this program. 3) Ride-
share Cooperation. This program
exists in Corvallis, Medford, Port­
land, Salem, Eugene, and Spring-
field. The Public Transist Division
assists local efforts and provides
technical help to expand care pool
and vanpool programs. 4)Technical
Resource Program. This program
provides technical assistance to local
governments and transit operators to
help them research and develop plans
for their programs.5)Rural Transit
Assistance Program. This program
assists in the development of resources
to meet the training, technical assis­
tance and research needs of transpor­
tation operators. 6) Special Trans­
portation Program. Local governments
receive funds from cigarette tax reve­
nues to finance transportation serv­
ices for elderly and handicapped
persons. Monies from this fund are
used to maintain or expand existing
transit systems, handicapped trans­
portation systems.This one cent tax
was recently increased by one cent
per pack of cigarettes by the 1989
Legislature and should mean that ap­
proximately $6 million will be avail­
able to transportation districts and
counties in 1990. This program
strongly impacts transportation availa­
bility across the State of Oregon. In
Klamath Falls, monies helped pur­
chase transportation services for the
local Mental Health Department. In
Lake County, monies have led to an
expansion of transportation services
to seniors for necessary medical test
taken in Klamath and Medford. In
many cases a volunteer driver pro­
gram has been started with Special
Transportation moines which has kept
mature citizens from being home-
bound. In many cities and towns these
monies have kept the cost of a taxi
ride to $0.75, allowing greater travel
from home to store, doctor, or rec­
reation.
All of the above mentioned re­
sources help seniors travel from one
pointto another, particularly the Spe­
cial Transportation Fund. Transpor­
tation availability, however, remains
a strong concern of seniors and their
advocates and will become even more
important as baby boomers cross into
the senior ranks.
AFRAIDS
is the only HIV-related disease
transmitted by casual contact. Fortu­
nately, there’s a cure for AFRAIDS;
it’s called “ A VOLUNTEER.”
The OREGON AIDS HOTLINE
needs your help. This statewide Hot­
line is sponsored by Cascade AIDS
Project and the Oregon Health Divi­
sion. As we rely heavily on volun­
teers to make it all work, we need
your help.
If you can help, call 223-AIDS in
Portland, or 1-800-777-AIDS from
outlying areas. Ask for the volunteer
application.
FIGHT THE FEAR.
VOLUNTEER.
The Muslim Patrol To The Rescue
Without benefit of federal or municipal funding, the Washington, D.C., Muslim Patrol transformed one ol
the city’s most drug-plagued neighborhoods into a drug and crime-free zone in less than one year, reports the
August EBONY.
The community, home to about 7,000 residents and once one of the preferred neighborhoods among the
D istrict's Black proffesionals, had been out of the decline throughout the ’60s and ’70s, that is until a Nation of
Islam group under the leadership of Minister Louis Farrakhan, and armed only with walikie talkies took a stand
against crack dealers and the crack houses that infested the neighborhood. “ Maybe the federal government
should look at programs that are working like ours and finance them,” says William Muhammad, chief of the
Muslim patrol. “ The awnser may be in the least expected place.”
Not only has the Muslim group’s presence returned the D.C. community into the tranquil area it once was,
but they had also set up a full service-medical clinic inside the housing development, assist the elderly with
chores and escort neighborhood children to and from school.
SOLVING THE CRISIS OF BLACK
YOUTH
jioaiüoiúaidoiooiotJiDdnnioniPoiooioalPca
By Ron Daniels
The crisis confronting African-
American youth poses a major threat
to the growth and development of the
National African-American Commu­
nity. It is a crisis which must be
solved. But this crisis will not be
overcome unless we as African-
Americans develop the determina­
tion to do so. We simply cannot af­
ford to allow our future to waste
away. This crisis is a matter of na­
tional priority to African-Americans.
All of our agencies, organizations,
institutions and churches both na­
tionally and locally must see the cri­
sis of Black youth as a matter of life
or death.
There are a range of actions which
we must take, some of which are
internal to the African-American com­
munity and other actions which must
be aimed at the larger society and the
system which is ultimately respon­
sible for producing the crisis of Black
youth. But the recovery must begin
inside of the African-American com­
munity with ourselves. We must be
devoted to ourselves and be con­
vinced that it is possible to overcome
the current crisis.
The first aspect of our struggle
therefore is about attitude, transform­
ing our internal view of ourselves.
We must be committed to the propo­
sition that our CULTURE is a key to
our survival and the VALUES of
racial pride, self-help and self-devel­
opment are essential to our growth
and development as a people. This is
a fundamental problem which we
must face squarely. Far too many Af­
rican-Americans are not committed
to self-development. Too many of us
think, hope, or even pray that some­
thing or someone else will deliver us.
Then we won’t have to deal with that,
“ Black s tu f f ’.
The cold fact is, however, that
racism historically and contempo­
rarily and cultural destruction are
major contributing factors in terms
of the crises we face as Black people.
We cannot solve our problems by
avoiding the realities of racism and
cultural aggression. We cannot save
our youth running away from our­
selves and the realities of our condi­
tion. African-Americans must ap­
proach the question of solving the
crisis of Black youth with the right
attitude.
Our own self interest as African-
Americans, therefore dictates that
youth organization and development
must ba a major priority for our de­
velopment as a people. WE MUST
ORGANIZE, EDUCATE, AND
TRAIN OUR OWN as a matter of
principle. All of our organizations,
institutions, agencies, and churches,
both nationally and locally should
assume the responsibility of during
some work in the area of youth or­
ganization and developm ent
There are several critical items
which must be included in a overall
program for youth organization and
development. The matter of culture,
history , and values is o f utmost
importance. Our youth must learn
who we are as people, internalize a
positive sense o f our capacity to
achieve, and acquire the confidence
that . African-Americans can sur­
vive, grow and prosper as a group.
Cultivating a positive sense of self­
esteem is an indispensable element
in the chemistry of success.
But we must also teach African-
American youth how to succeed within
the context o f the African-American
struggle for survival and develop­
ment. Self-esteem after all is ulti­
mately buttressed and maintained
through concrete achievements. Hence
attention to basic skills like reading,
writing, mathematics, computer lit­
eracy, training/orientation to place­
ment testing etc. should be incorpo-
rated into our youth development
programs. Business and entrepre­
neurial skills should also be imparted.
African-American youth enterprises
and ventures which employ young
people should also be developed and
supported as a part of our youth
development strategy.
Indeed African-American business
development and the exercise of Black
economic power and leverage must
be included in the formula to solve
the crisis o f Black youth. More solid
sustained, and successful B lack busi­
ness development should translate
into more job opportunities for Afri­
can-American youth. We must con­
trol the economy within our neigh­
borhoods and use it in the best inter­
est of our people. Beyond our neigh­
borhoods we must fight for a fair
share of jobs in those business estab­
lishments where we spend our dol­
lars. Black youth will gain employ­
ment in these establishments if we
demand it and mean it.
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES, ALL FORMER
ADDICTS, URGE YOUNGSTERS TO AVOID DRUGS
who was first addicted to beer, agreed
Those Surveyed Agree It’s Not that alcohol played a part in his or her
Enough to Just Say ‘No’; Emphasize problems and none of them believed
Excessive Cost to Both Health and they would ever become hooked.
Financial Status
“ The riddle is how some people
Numerous professional athletes, can handle it, control how much they
who were formerly addicted to drugs drink, and how some people, like
and /or alcohol, have appealed to the me, couldn’t stop,” declared Chris
nation’s youth to avoid drugs at all Mullen, 26, an alcoholic.Mullen, an
cost, warning that to “ just say no’ ’ is all-American at St. John’s Univer­
not enough.
sity. who was the 1985 first-r o u n d
Society has to get rid of its “ pill draft choice of the Golden S late War­
mentality ’ ’ and its reliance on drugs, riors, was making $400,000 a year in
according to the athletes, who par­ 1988 when he was suspended for one
ticipated in an informal survey to be game, then placed on the injured list
published this Sunday in PARADE while undergoing rehab.
All of the athletes surveyed re­
magazine.They also agreed that edu­
called
not paying a single cent for
cation concerning drug abuse has to
those
first
few uses of cocaine or
begin in kindergarten or before.
other
drugs
and said it is unfortunate
“ Getting into drugs is a hell of a
that
young
people don’t seem to
lot ea sie r-a way lot easier-than
believe
how
costly drugs can be­
getting out of them,” declared pro­
come,
both
to
the body and to the
fessional basketball star John Lucas,
pocketbook.
a former cocaine addict, who now
“ First it’s free, but then it costs,”
heads Students Taking Action Not
Drugs, a national non-profit group, declared Mcts pitcher Dwight Gooden,
and John Lucas fitness Systems, a who became addicted to cocaine in
drug treatment therapy based on 1986 when he was making $1.5 mil­
lion. “ You go through a whole heap
exercise.
All of the athletes, who partici­ of money. Looking back, you think
pated in the survey, including Lucas, you’re better off just ripping it up and
throwing it in the ocean. The lesson
is that there’s no free ride. You start
with drugs,and you’re going to pay
and pay and pay, and it’ll never be
enough.
“ Kids aren’t armed with the
mechanisms to dispute what they are
told,” declared Derek “ Turk” San­
derson, once the world’s highest paid
athlete, "so when someone tells them,
‘Try it, you’ll feel great, it can’t
hurt’, they go ahead and try it.
They might not if they were told
the truth. You do feel great, but you
do get h u rt-b ad .”
Sanderson, who made $2,650,000
a year with the Philadelphia Blazers
hockey team, lost his fortune after
nearly eight years of alcoholism and,
according to both Sanderson and his
medical report, an addiction to 11
different drugs. The turning point for
Sanderson came, he recalled, in 1980
when he tried to get a drink from
someone in Central Park who
rcfuscd.” Don’t you know who I am?”
he shouted, “ just another drunk,”
came the reply.