Equal Treatment in Housing Central to Faith
Diocesan Press Service. September 7, 1964 [XXIV-1]
NEW YORK --- Equal treatment of all people in access to housing is central to the Christian faith and is "more basic than a federal civil rights law, " Presiding Bishop Lichtenberger said Sept. 8.
In reference to the proposed amendment to California's state constitution that would repeal the state's fair housing law, the national church leader said:
"Equal treatment before the law transcends state politics. It is more basic than a federal civil rights law... For us as Christians, the matter is central to our faith. For when God in Jesus Christ reconciled all men to Himself, he gave us a pattern and a calling: to love one another as He loved us. Neighbor love is an essential of the Christian's loving response to the God who gave Himself on a cross for all mankind."
This Christian concept translated into justice, Bishop Lichtenberger stressed, "means at least that we must seek to treat our neighbors on their own merits, not by the arbitrary standards of race, national origin or religion."
The Presiding Bishop's statement was made in the September issue of "Church and Race," a magazine published by National Council's Department of Christian Social Relations. More than 125,000 copies of the periodical are being distributed throughout the nation, as part of the Episcopal Church's voter-education program on the controversial amendment.
In the same publication, California's four Episcopal bishops condemned the amendment, known as Proposition 14, as "morally wrong" and said that if it is ratified at the polls on Nov. 3 it would "give property rights precedence over human rights."
The four joining the Presiding Bishop in opposition to Proposition 14 were the Rt. Rev. Eric F. Bloy, Bishop of Los Angeles; the Rt. Rev. Clarence R. Haden, Jr., Bishop of Northern California; the Rt. Rev. James A. Pike, Bishop of California; and the Rt. Rev. Sumner Walters, Bishop of San Joaquin. The California bishops have jurisdiction over a total of 416 parishes with a combined membership of 263,000.
At this time, Californis is one of 13 states having a fair housing law that bars discrimination in housing receiving no government aid. If Proposition 14 receives a majority vote, the Rumford Fair Housing Bill -- passed only a year ago -- not only would be repealed but similar legislation in the future would be barred. It also would remove any kind of governmental controls over the state's real estate operations. The amendment has national significance because, if passed, it would jeopardize the other states' fair housing laws. Proposition 14, which primarily is supported by the California Real Estate Association, states: "Neither the state nor any subdivision or agency thereof shall deny, limit or abridge, directly or indirectly, the right of any person who is willing or desires to sell, lease or rent any part or all of his real property, to decline to sell, lease or rent such property to such person or persons as he, in his absolute discretion, chooses." Publicly owned property is exempted. The California Real Estate Association (C.R.E.A.) contends that the fair housing law is "forced housing," violates property rights, will harass property owners, provides special privileges to minority group members and will interfere with profits.
The Rumford Fair Housing Act bars discrimination in the sale or rental of all multiple dwellings with three or more units, the sale or rental of all government-aided housing including that with FHA or VA-guaranteed mortgages. It applies to all transactions of real estate brokers, homebuilders and mortgage lenders.
Church leaders' concern about Proposition 14 centers around the alleged immorality of a law that would, in effect, legalize segregated housing throughout the nation's most populous state. Though proponents of the measure claim their only concern is the "sacred" right of property owners, they have been charged with erecting a smokescreen for racial and religious discrimination in housing.