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J U L 171979 <br />BOTH BLACK AND WHITE ALIKE. <br />sou 41 PAGF 15 <br />HE SPOKE EMOTIONALLY OF THE TERRIBLE <br />CONDITIONS SOME HAVE TO LIVE IN, WITH RATS AND SNAKES AND BROKEN FLOORS <br />AND RAFTERS, AND FELT THE BOARD, THROUGH APPROVING A HOUSING AUTHORITY, <br />HAS THE "KEY—TO UNLOCK THE DOOR TO BETTER THE CONDITION OF WHITE AND <br />BLACK PEOPLE AND MAKE GIFFORD A PLACE WE CAN BE PROUD OF." <br />MARTHA MCGRIFF INFORMED THE BOARD THAT SHE WAS RAISED IN <br />GOVERNMENT HOUSING IN PAHOKEE AND THAT THEY HAD A PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE <br />CAME IN TO OVERSEE AND INSPECT, AND THEY WERE FURNISHED PAINT TO PAINT <br />THEIR HOUSES. THE CHILDREN HAD A PARK TO PLAY IN AND EVEN A POOL. <br />SHE STATED THAT SHE LEFT THERE IN 1963 AND THE HOUSING PROJECT IS STILL <br />BEAUTIFUL NOW. MRS. MCGRIFF NOTED THAT SHE IS ASHAMED TO TELL PEOPLE <br />s THAT SHE -'LIVES IN GIFFORD BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS THERE, AND WENT ON <br />TO SPEAK OF THE HIGH INTEREST RATE ON MORTGAGE LOANS WHICH ARE IMPOSSIBLE <br />FOR MOST TO PAY. SHE URGED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOUSING AUTHORITY. <br />OQUILLA THOMAS STATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE GIFFORD GROW <br />AND SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A HOME OF HER OWN, BUT EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS A <br />GOOD JOB, SHE CAN T AFFORD IT. SHE FELT A HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THE <br />ANSWER AND THAT IT WOULD BE KEPT UP. <br />GENE BYRNE, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY COUNSELOR IN VERO BEACH, <br />POINTED OUT THAT STATISTICS SHOW THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN <br />DECENT AND ADEQUATE HOUSING AND GOOD FAMILY LIVING. HE INFORMED THE <br />BOARD THAT HE IS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF MENTAL HEALTH FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE <br />PRISON SYSTEM AND IT IS A FACT THAT 80% OF THE INMATES OF THE NEW <br />HAMPSHIRE JAILS COME FROM SUBSTANDARD HOUSING. MR..BYRNE STATED THAT <br />HE IS NOT A SOCIALIST, BUT SINCE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT PRIVATE ENTERPRISE <br />HAS FAILED TO DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION OVER THESE MANY YEARS, <br />HE FEELS PERHAPS IT IS TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND HELP <br />THESE PEOPLE GET ADEQUATE HOUSING. <br />REV. ALLEN FOSTER SPOKE IN FAVOR OF CREATION OF A HOUSING <br />AUTHORITY, NOTING THAT THE AMERICAN -CREED ENTITLES "ALL MEN TO CERTAIN <br />INALIENABLE RIGHTS..." HE POINTED OUT IF THE HOUSING IS IMPROVED IN <br />GIFFORD, IT WILL RAISE PROPERTY VALUES, AND NOTED THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO <br />DO IS RIDE DOWN U.S. I TO SEE THE TERRIBLE CONDITIONS WE ARE TALKING <br />