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December 1967
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<br /> Legislation to force an American to become an unwilling party to a contract for the disposition
<br /> of his privately owned property other than in an eminent domain proceeding, is' repungnant to the
<br /> Constitution and represents a sharp erosion of individual liberty.
<br /> This particular resolution would have the force of denying the Realtor complete freedom of
<br />open communication with his client, thus, damaging one of the most essential aspects of the agent-client
<br />relationship. It would destroy the voluntary nature of contract between buyer and seller by
<br />deliberately forcing the Realtor to omit a portion of the facts necessary to draw a contract that
<br />is clearly understood by all parties. It would place a Realtor in the position of determining the
<br />racial, creedal or ethnic composition of the neighborhood, a position that Realtors have mo~
<br />right or responsibility to assume. It would destroy the position of trust that is implied in the
<br />contract between the Realtor and his client. Indeed, it would even develop mistrust.
<br /> One of the greatest losses a resolution of this type would bring about is its effect on
<br />the first duty of a real estate agent, loyalty. ?~hen one employs an agent, he does so because he
<br />desires to take advantage of the agent's ability, experience and training. This faith and trust
<br />of the principal carries with it the compelling duty on the part of the agent to represent the best
<br />interests of his principal to the exclusion of all others, including his own self interests. The
<br />agent must be very careful to avoid any situation that would or could compromise his duty to be
<br />loyal to his principal. Disloyalty by the agent in unpardonable in the eyes of his fellow man and
<br />is illtg~t under the law.
<br /> We assert the right of equal opportunity of any ~erson to acauire any parcel of real property,
<br />and we assert this same right to every property owner to determinJ the disposition of his property.
<br /> l{e urge council to take no action on this resolution. Should council adopt this resolution, they
<br />would be restricting all real estate people in the operation of their business'~ and would place in
<br />jeopardy all citizens who at anytime may buy, sell or rent property and-take from the real-estate
<br />industry the position of trust and responsibility it has always stood for in the community"
<br />(P. W. Thomson, President, Portsmouth Board of Realtors, Inc.}
<br />
<br /> "I respectfully request to sneak before the meeting of city council on December 26, 1967.
<br />I wish to speak on the request of tidewater Fair Housing asking the Council to adopt an Open Housing
<br />resolution.
<br /> I feel this is a very controversial subject and one of concern to all citizens of Portsmouth."
<br /> CR. L. Ivys 59 ~. Pollux Circle)
<br />
<br /> "I respectfully request that I be allowed to speak before the City Council on December226, 1967.
<br />I am extremely concerned about theproposed open housing resolution and wish to state my opinion on this
<br />subject." CJohn H. McCormick, 451 Dorset Avenue}
<br />
<br /> "At the last session of the Council, Mr. Harvey N. Johnson, Jr. presented a proposal to have
<br />you endorse the principle of open occupancy ~N our city. The proposal was referred to Conference which
<br />action made it appear that Progressive Portsmouth was making a-step in retrogression.
<br /> Gentlemen, the principle of open occupancy is morally and ethically sound and to deny it
<br />sanction is contrary to the democracy you so nobly espouse.
<br /> Since there was no reouest at this time to legislate, and sanction would only mean that
<br />our elected officials acknowledge this inherent right of citizens, I urge you give
<br />unanimous support to the proposal in its original form." [Solomon J. Carey, President, Portsmouth
<br />Chapter Tidewater Area Council for Community Improvement)
<br />
<br /> "On December 12, 1967, Tidewater Fair Housing, Inc., presented a resolution asking
<br /> for an endorsement of the Fair Housing Principle by the Council of this city,
<br /> We, the members of the Interdenominational Ministers' Forum of Portsmouth and Vicinity, have
<br /> this day, December 20, 1967, at a regular stated meeting, unanimously moved to request you, the
<br /> Honorable Members of the Council, to act favorably upon the above referred to resolution of Tidewater
<br /> Fair Mousing, Inc." [Interdenominational Ministers Forum, Bishop Thomas Talle~ President)
<br />
<br /> "The purpose of this letter is to keep you abreast of my efforts in seeking the cooperation of
<br /> citizens' groups aimed at attaining equal opportunity in offbase housing for all members of th%
<br /> military services, and to report the progress which has been made along these lines. I am also
<br /> addressing similar letters to Congressmen Abbitt, Downing and Hardy, and to the Mayors of Norfolk, Virginia
<br /> Beach, and Chesapeake.
<br /> As you may recall from my previous correspondence, I had planned meeting with various groups to discuss
<br /> the Department of Defense Program. On November 28, I met with a representative group of some 20
<br /> realtors from the local area. On December 14, a similar meeting was held with a representative
<br /> group of conTparable size, composed of members of Tidewater Fair Housing Association, Inc. and
<br /> Negro realtors, labor leaders, and NAACP members. The format of each meeting was identical.
<br /> In my presentation to each group, I explained the Department of Defense 9blicy, showed how it was
<br /> implemented on the local level and displayed the progress made, and lastly, solicited their support,
<br /> My remarks appeared to have been well received by each group.
<br /> The progress that has been made toward adoption of a policy of nondiscrimination in rental housing
<br /> in the local area is gratifying. The results of the initia] census taken in May and June, on rental
<br /> policy, [Phase I), show that about 40% of the establishments accepted military applicants on a
<br /> nondiscriminatory basis. The efforts toward urging additional owners/ operators of the rental
<br /> establishments to adopt a policy of nondiscrimination, [Phase II), commenced in August. Meaningful
<br /> progress-has been made each month, and at the end of November, slightly more than 70% of the
<br /> establishments were available to all military applicants without regard to race, color or creed. We
<br /> shall continue our efforts as directed by the Department of Defense to hopefully reach 100%.
<br /> I appreciate your past cooperation and shall continue to keep you informed of significant developments.
<br /> In closing, I wish you a joyous Holiday Season and every success in the New Year."
<br /> [Commandant, Fifth Naval District, Rear Admiral Reynold D. Hogle, USN)
<br />
<br /> "I have read the proposal placed before the City Council by Tidewater Fair Housing, Inc.; and
<br />I fully approve of it. To establish the public principle of fair housing in Portsmouth is to bring
<br />our city once again to the forefront in the steady progress in human relations of which our community
<br />has been justly proud. In the face of the proposal's failure in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, such an
<br />establishment of principle will declare affirmatively that Port,month makes its own decisions in
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