The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 87, July 1983 - April, 1984 Page: 149
468 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Alazan-Apache Courts
their courts were judged by some observers as "the best maintained
housing project in the United States."40
The improvement noted in health and other areas was not so ap-
parent in the economic realm. Incomes did rise during the war, thanks
largely to employment created by defense needs. The average yearly
earnings for tenant families rose over $400 between the time tenants
were admitted and 1944, pushing incomes beyond the limits estab-
lished for tenancy. The situation created a dilemma for the projects'
administrators, who did not wish to force tenants to move, since the
housing market was tight. Nor did they want to force the abandon-
ment of defense jobs and appear unpatriotic during the war crisis.
The solution was a compromise; rents were raised for those whose
incomes had increased. Even the USHA benefitted by this decision, as
it was now able to lower its annual subsidy.50
The steady rise in earnings that prevailed in the courts during the
war was not permanent. A 1952 study conducted among 118 Alazan-
Apache Courts families found their average income to be $1,253, which
was approximately $280 less than the average for all tenant families in
1945 ($1,538). The 1952 tabulation, hindered by inconsistent employ-
ment patterns, was developed through estimates based on weekly and
monthly earnings; therefore, it is not entirely reliable. Yet it still pro-
vides some insight into the income picture of the courts, as does the
average monthly rent, which for the entire court was $25.66 in 1951
and $23.70 in 1945. The rise of only $2.oo might indicate that the
inhabitants' earning power (and therefore the rents they were charged)
rose but slightly in six years."'
It is not difficult to account for the continued low economic status.
Families whose incomes rose after the war, making them either un-
willing or ineligible to remain as project tenants, left. They were re-
placed by new families (489 in 1951 alone) whose low annual wages
enabled them to assume residence in the courts, where they joined
older residents whose incomes had not improved significantly, if at all.
The 1952 study found that the occupations held by those it investi-
gated involved largely unskilled or semiskilled labor. There was also
evidence of job instability, with many workers changing jobs several
times over the course of a year. These families had little education,
40Clinton R. Goodrich to J. C. Willging, Mar. 27, 1945, Tranchese Papers.
50SAHA, Annual Report, z944, [3, 51].
51SAHA, Annual Report, 1944, [5]; Murray, Socio-Cultural Study, 26-27.149
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 87, July 1983 - April, 1984, periodical, 1983/1984; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117150/m1/185/: accessed May 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.