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This file contains material relating to Community Development Act of 1974, Equal Opportunity Act.
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5/23/75 - Women in Communication, Inc., Women of the Press Luncheon, Los Angeles
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1133414
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5/23/75 - Women in Communication, Inc., Women of the Press Luncheon, Los Angeles
description
This file contains material relating to Community Development Act of 1974, Equal Opportunity Act.
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Carla A. Hills Speeches
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Equal Rights Amendment Project
Credit
Housing
Sex discrimination
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1975-05-23
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1975
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23
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1975-05-23
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "5/23/75 - Women in Communication,
Inc., Women of the Press Luncheon, Los Angeles" of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FINAL
WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Los ANGELES CHAPTER
WOMEN OF THE PRESS LUNCHEON
MAY 23, 1975
I AM GREATLY HONORED TO BE DESIGNATED AS YOUR 1975
WOMAN IN THE NEWS AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
BEFORE THE NATION'S LARGEST CHAPTER OF WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS.
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO THE
REALIZATION THAT WE ARE A WASTEFUL PEOPLE. THE GAS CRISIS
TAUGHT US THAT WE WASTED ENERGY. THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS
HAVE TAUGHT US THAT WE ARE WASTING THE AIR AND WATER RESOURCES
UPON WHICH WE DEPEND FOR SURVIVAL. THE CIVIL DISTURBANCES
OF 1968 TAUGHT US THAT WE WASTE HUMAN BEINGS BY CONSIGNING
LARGE SEGMENTS OF OUR POPULATION TO A CONTINUING CYCLE OF
POVERTY FROM WHICH FAR TOO FEW BREAK FREE.
OUR COLLECTIVE EXISTENCE HAS BEEN ONE OF CONSUMPTION,
WE CONSUMED A FRONTIER AND TURNED IT INTO A SERIES OF
SPRAWLING CITIES. AND, WE CONSUME OUR RESOURCES AT A
FRIGHTENING RATE TO KEEP THOSE GREAT CITIES ALIVE. A
LOOK AT THE NEARBY FREEWAY AT 5 CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON
DEMONSTRATES HOW WE SQUANDER OUR ABUNDANCE.
GERALO P. FORD CLERANT
-2-
BUT ABUNDANCE IS BECOMING SCARCITY, THE COST OF OUR
NATIONAL OVERINDULGENCE IS RAPIDLY BECOMING UNBEARABLE,
Two OF OUR WASTING RESOURCES ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN
TO ME: WOMEN WHO WANT TO DO MORE THAN THEY ARE NOW DOING
AND CITIES THAT ARE DECAYING IN FULL VIEW OF US ALL.
IN MY VIEW THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN FOR MAKING
MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE NEVER BEEN RICHER,
MOST OF US ARE AWARE THAT WOMEN ARE A MAJORITY, NOT
A MINORITY,
BUT, WE DO NOT OFTEN FOCUS ON THE FACTS THAT 40 PERCENT
OF AMERICA'S WORK FORCE ARE WOMEN AND THAT 45 PERCENT OF
ALL WOMEN IN AMERICA WORK. INDEED, AMERICAN WOMEN WORK
ON THE AVERAGE OF 2 YEARS LONGER THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS.
TODAY'S WOMEN SERVE AS BANK PRESIDENTS, AIR CONTROL
CHIEFS, NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS, ADMIRALS, GENERALS, FBI AGENTS,
CORPORATE EXECUTIVES, BORDER PATROL GUARDS, AGENCY HEADS,
UNITED STATES MARSHALS, AND WE COULD GO ON.
GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
-3-
IT IS TRUE THAT MORE WOMEN ARE ACCEPTED AT HIGHER
LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE
SECTORS THAN EVER BEFORE, MORE MEN AND MORE WOMEN ACKNOWLEDGE
AND EVEN ENCOURAGE THIS FACT.
AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WOMEN STILL
DO NOT HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS MEN.
WOMEN TOO OFTEN ARE NOT PAID AS MUCH AS MEN FOR THE
SAME WORK. WOMEN WITH 4 YEARS OF COLLEGE EARN ON THE
AVERAGE LESS THAN MEN WITH NO COLLEGE TRAINING WHATSOEVER.
OF THE 435 MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONLY 19 ARE WOMEN AND THERE ARE NO WOMEN AMONG THE 100
MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
SOME OF THESE ADVERSE COMPARISIONS STEM FROM HISTORIC
DISCRIMINATION; SOME STEM FROM LACK OF TRAINED WOMEN FOR
OPEN POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY.
FORD & LIBRARY
-4-
YOUR GROUP IS MAKING IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS IN BOTH
AREAS. YOUR PROGRAM SHARPENS AWARENESS OF THE AVAILABILITY
OF COMPETENT WOMEN FOR WORK OF EVERY DESCRIPTION AND
ENCOURAGES WOMEN TO STRETCH THEIR ASPIRATIONS AND TO IGNORE
ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS TO THEIR ADVANCEMENT.
THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT WILL ALSO ASSIST IN BOTH
AREAS,
HENCE, I BELIEVE ALONG WITH PRESIDENT AND MRS. FORD
AND YOUR GROUP, THAT RATIFICATION OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS
AMENDMENT IS A MUST.
THIRTY-FOUR OF THE REQUIRED 38 STATES HAVE PASSED
IT THUS FAR, BUT FINAL PASSAGE APPEARS UNLIKELY THIS YEAR,
So WE HAVE UNTIL 1979, THE CUT OFF DATE, TO OBTAIN THE
ADDITIONAL 4 STATES. ILLINOIS AND MISSOURI WILL BE CONSIDERING
THE AMENDMENT SHORTLY, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A GOOD
CHANCE THAT MISSOURI MAY PASS IT,
GREATO F. FORD
-5-
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER EQUALIZING LAWS, AMONG
THE MOST IMPORTANT ARE THOSE THAT PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION
IN THE GRANTING OF CREDIT ON THE BASIS OF SEX OR MARITAL
STATUS.
IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, OVER HALF OF THE STATES
HAVE EITHER IMPLEMENTED OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ENACTING
SUCH LAWS.
BUT, THE MOST FAR-REACHING LEGISLATION TO REMEDY
DISCRIMINATORY CREDIT PRACTICES HAS BEEN ENACTED AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL,
LAST AUGUST, THE 1974 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ACT WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT FORD. By AMENDING EARLIER LAWS,
THIS Act PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN
THE GRANTING OF FEDERALLY-RELATED MORTGAGE LOANS, OR IN THE
SALE, RENTAL OR FINANCING OF HOUSING,
man STAND ? FORD
-6-
THE EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY Act WHICH BECOMES EFFECTIVE
IN OCTOBER 1975 WILL DIRECTLY AND PROFOUNDLY AFFECT WOMEN.
THAT AcT OUTLAWS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEX OR MARITAL
STATUS IN CREDIT LENDING,
THE PROBLEMS WOMEN FACE IN APPLYING FOR CREDIT HAVE
BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED BY THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CONSUMER
FINANCE, BY CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS, AND BY LEADING LEGAL
AND FINANCIAL EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
SINGLE, WIDOWED, AND DIVORCED WOMEN OFTEN ARE UNABLE
TO ESTABLISH CREDIT. ALL TOO FREQUENTLY THE INCOME OF A
WORKING WIFE IS NOT COUNTED IN COMPUTING TOTAL FAMILY
INCOME, NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT IN 45 PERCENT OF THE
FAMILIES IN THIS COUNTRY BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE CONTRIBUTE
TO THE FAMILY INCOME, IN THE CASE OF MINORITY COUPLES,
WHERE THE WIFE'S INCOME OFTEN REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL
PORTION OF THE FAMILY INCOME, SEX BIAS IS PARTICULARLY
PREJUDICIAL.
FORD & 07V859 LISDANY
-7-
A RECENT FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK BOARD SURVEY INDICATED
THAT OVER 80 PERCENT OF THE SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS
CONSIDER MARITAL STATUS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN REVIEWING
AN APPLICANT'S ELIGIBILITY FOR A MORTGAGE.
WHILE THERE ARE 5.5 MILLION SEPARATED, WIDOWED, AND
DIVORCED MEN, OVER 15.5 MILLION WOMEN FALL INTO THOSE SAME
CATEGORIES. SINCE THE COURTS ARE APT TO AWARD CUSTODY OF
CHILDREN TO THE MOTHER, CURRENT CREDIT PRACTICES SEVERELY
AFFECT THESE WOMEN.
THE RECENT FEDERAL LEGISLATION WILL DO MUCH TO ASSURE
EQUAL ACCESS TO CREDIT TO WOMEN WHO WOULD QUALIFY FOR CREDIT
BUT FOR THEIR SEX OR MARITAL STATUS.
MUCH HAS BEEN DONE. BUT, MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE TO
CONSERVE VALUABLE HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND, WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT OUR CITIES?
FORD & LISBARY
-8-
THE STARK FACT IS MANY OF OUR GREATEST CITIES ARE
BEING SACRIFICED TO OBSOLESCENCE AND DECAY. IN TOO MANY,
BLOCK UPON BLOCK OF ABANDONED, BOARDED UP HOUSES SERVE
AS HOMES FOR THE FLOTSAM OF HUMANITY.
NEAR THESE ABANDONED NEIGHBORHOODS AND, PERHAPS,
SOON TO FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE, ARE THE SLUMS, WHICH ARE THE
BANE OF OUR COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE. THESE ARE NOT THE HOMES
OF A LOWER INCOME GROUP BUT RATHER AN "UNDER CLASS", WHO
ARE NOT JUST POOR BUT IMPOVERISHED.
TYPICALLY, THE DECLINE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD STARTS WHEN
THE EASY AVAILABILITY OF NEW HOUSING IN THE SUBURBS ENTICES
FAMILIES TO LEAVE THEIR URBAN HOMES, As THE HOUSING STOCK
BEGINS TO FILTER DOWN, THESE FAMILIES ARE GRADUALLY REPLACED
BY POORER FAMILIES WHO LACK THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A
HEALTHY COMMUNITY, AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
BECOMES LESS STABLE.
CERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
-9-
THEN, LENDING INSTITUTIONS BECOME NERVOUS, AND
LENDING POLICIES BECOME MORE STRIGENT. NEW OWNERS ARE
FORCED TO MAKE HIGHER DOWNPAYMENTS AND HAVE SHORTER-TERM
LOANS, HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS BECOME UNAVAILABLE.
THUS, FAMILIES ARE LESS ABLE TO MAINTAIN OR TO IMPROVE
THEIR PROPERTY, OFTEN THE PROPERTIES BECOME VIABLE ONLY
AS RENTAL UNITS, AND THE ECONOMIC LEVEL OF THE INHABITANTS
TENDS TO DECREASE FURTHER.
CRIME INCREASES AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DECREASE,
ACCELERATED ABANDONMENT FOLLOWS,
IN NEW YORK CITY ALONE 25,000 UNITS ARE ABANDONED
EACH YEAR,
THE 1974 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Act ADDRESSES
THESE PROBLEMS IN TWO INNOVATIVE WAYS.
BE
FORD
-10-
FIRST, THE 1974 Act INITIATED A RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM
FOR HOUSING LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES, THE COMMUNITIES
MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO USE EXISTING, REHABILITATED OR NEWLY
CONSTRUCTED HOUSING IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEW RENTAL SUBSIDY
PROGRAM.
By ALLOWING A CITY TO UTILIZE ITS EXISTING HOUSING
STOCK, IT ENCOURAGES THE PRESERVATION OF URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
SECOND, THE 1974 Act GIVES FUNDS DIRECTLY TO UNITS
OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND AFFORDS LOCAL OFFICIALS WIDE
LATITUDE IN UTILIZING THE FUNDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR
THE NEEDS THEY IDENTIFY,
UNDER THE NEW PROGRAM COMMUNITIES HAVE EARMARKED
FOR REHABILITATION LOANS MORE THAN TWICE THE AMOUNT
PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THIS
PURPOSE.
As JOAN MENTIONED, YESTERDAY I WAS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
APPROVAL OF A GRANT OF $38.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO Los ANGELES
FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
GORALD a FORD
-11-
Los ANGELES WILL SPEND OVER $8 MILLION DOLLARS OF
IT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES, IT PLANS TO
REHABILITATE 2100 EXISTING UNITS OF HOUSING, AND IT HAS
EARMARKED $2.7 MILLION DOLLARS OF ITS GRANT FUNDS FOR A
LOCAL REHABILITATION LOAN PROGRAM.
YESTERDAY, I ALSO ANNOUNCED A NEW DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
WHICH WILL PROVIDE FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR LOCAL URBAN HOMESTEADING
PROGRAMS, HUD WILL SUPPLY HOUSES; THE CITIES WILL DESIGN
AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAMS,
OUR BEST HOPE FOR SAVING OUR CITIES IS FOR FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. BOTH COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AND URBAN HOMESTEADING ARE STEPS IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
AGAIN, MUCH HAS BEEN DONE; BUT MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE.
You MAY WELL ASK WHAT GOOD WILL THESE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT GRANTS OR URBAN HOMESTEADING PROGRAMS DO FOR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO JOBS.
GERALD Pi. FORD
-12-
SIMILARLY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN IS A HOLLOW
VICTORY WHEN THERE ARE FEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR EITHER MEN OR
WOMEN.
MANY IN CONGRESS AND IN INDUSTRY ASK THE ADMINISTRATION
TO SPEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GET THE ECONOMY AND, IN
PARTICULAR, THE HOUSING INDUSTRY TURNED AROUND.
OBVIOUSLY, HOUSING IS IN A TERRIBLE SLUMP AND HAS BEEN
FOR TOO LONG. BUT, THIS ADMINISTRATION IS STRONGLY RESISTING
BOTH THE PRESSURE AND THE TEMPTATION TO SPEND ITS WAY INTO
ANOTHER INFLATIONARY SPIRAL,
WE SEE THE KEY TO IMPROVED HOUSING AND TO AN IMPROVED
ECONOMY AS IMPROVED CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. CONFIDENCE THAT
INFLATION IS UNDER CONTROL; CONFIDENCE THAT THE JOBLESS
RATE WILL DECLINE; AND, MOST OF ALL, CONFIDENCE THAT OUR
ECONOMY IS UNDER STRONG AND INTELLIGENT DIRECTION,
WE EXPECT THE HOUSING INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE AHEAD OF
GENERAL ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT, BUT HOUSING WILL NOT CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE IF THE OVERALL ECONOMY DOES NOT IMPROVE BEHIND IT.
GENALO R. FORD
-13-
WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO LEARN THIS WEEK THAT THE SAVINGS
AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS OF THE COUNTRY HAVE FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE LAST NOVEMBER LOANED OUT MORE MONEY FOR HOUSING
THAN THEY TOOK IN FOR SAVINGS. AND, ALSO THAT THERE HAS
BEEN SOME INCREASE IN BUILDING PERMITS FOR APRIL. TRUE,
THESE ARE NOT ENOUGH TO BE CERTAIN THAT RECOVERY IS HERE ----
BUT, THEY ARE HOPEFUL SIGNS.
As RECOVERY DOES COME, HUD WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
PROGRAMS GENERALLY TO GUIDE THE HOUSING INDUSTRY TO A MORE
STABLE FUTURE AND SPECIFICALLY TO SEEK TO CURB THE WASTAGE
OF OUR RESOURCES.
WE ARE TODAY, AS WE HAVE BEEN BEFORE, AT A CROSSROADS,
WHETHER OUR FOCUS BE ON GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
WOMEN, ON REJUVENATION OF OUR CITIES, OR MORE BROADLY,
ON IMPROVEMENT OF OUR ECONOMY, REAL PROGRESS DEPENDS FIRST
ON STRONG AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP, AND SECOND, AND JUST
AS IMPORTANT, ON BROAD AND FULL COMMUNICATION OF THE
PROBLEMS TO OUR PEOPLE.
R. FORD
-14-
FOR YOUR GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COMMUNICATIONS,
AND MORE PARTICULARLY FOR SINGLING ME OUT TODAY, I THANK
YOU,
R.
FORD
$
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