NHN by New Black Ethnographies

THE HOUSING WARS A Critique on the Plan for Levittowns Future

Caroline Jannace December 2017 New Black Ethnographies

INTRODUCTION My Name is Caroline Jannace and I am an anthropologist from the year 2017. I have been conducting fieldwork in my present, the past, and the future to address an issue that has arose in 2117. I am attempting to prevent this issue from occurring since the future I can travel to is 30 days in advance of the day I presently live in. Essentially what this means is any crisis that might occur as a result of actions by those in my present can be prevented if it is managed within the 30 day limit. I work for a company called the Coalition for Better Tomorrows. This is precisely our goal. Through anthropology we write about the future when visiting and then come back with completed ethnographies to warn of things that could potentially occur if action is not taken. Things that are important to note are listed below.

TIME TRAVEL We are very lucky to have the opportunity to time travel. However, when traveling time changes. When visiting the past we can only stay at 30 minute intervals according to the way time is recorded in the year 2017. When traveling to the future time is stretched out. So a one day period actually equals 30 days. When visiting for 30 days you are actually there for 900 days. This was done through an intense scientific process with the purpose of allowing our company which is solely comprised of anthropologist the opportunity to conduct a good amount of

fieldwork and complete ethnographies. When they return to the present time of 2017 they only feel like they have been there for 30 days their time.

BACKGROUND Trained in the year 2017 as an Anthropologist, I have been training for the past one hundred years. In the year 2020 the American Association of Creating Better Futures decided that anyone studying the social sciences would be given special modifications to help them live forever choosing what age they choose to be at any moment, so they won’t miss any stage of life. They were granted this capability in order to ensure mistakes of the United States that were made in the past would not happen again. The goal was to try and prevent history from repeating itself by educating people about everyone around them. The current year is 2017. I have been assigned to focus on the Long Island Region in the past, present, and future. For me my future is 2117 since that is the time I can travel to.

ABSTRACT This research addresses the issue that arose in 2117 in Levittown, NY. Known for being the birthplace of suburbia, this town has a rich history that is reflected across the United States. Additionally, it has a history of racism. Original Levitt houses were not to be sold or leased to any people of color. I travel back to this original time to understand why this was the case. Next, I focus in 2017 where this discriminatory clause found in leases were no longer a thing and there were more people of color present in the houses.

Then in 2117 when there is equal amount of white to black house owners in Levittown, a group of developers decided that they will be the next Levitt’s and develop the houses as big as possible. The issue is almost all the land in Levittown is developed on so they are calling for all lower income residents, which happen to be all the residents of color, to move out and sell their property for the “future of the town and country”.

THE ISSUE This report addresses case #3467. The case is Titled The Housing Wars This report is currently confidential. This report will go public in 30 days. This report addresses the issue of 2117 and the rise of New Homes Now (NHN).

HISTORICAL CONTEXT Levittown was established in 1947 when a completed 350 houses were put on the market. The land was previously farmland when the Levitt brothers purchased it. Houses were built in mass quantity and up to 30 houses were completed a day. They were marketed as affordable and for the family, aimed at soldiers returning from the war. There was one small detail commonly missed in all of this. The leases specifically stated that the houses were not to be sold to any people other than with the skin color of

white. (Image 1.1) This is where the genesis of Levittowns segregation is found. In 2017 the town is still predominantly white and it wasn't until the year 2067 that there were an equal number of families of color to white families.

HISTORICAL FIELDNOTES Year: 1950 I have entered my field site this week, achieved through time travel. Goals: Find out first-hand how suburbia led the way for segregated housing.

I have rented out a standard Levitt house in one of the areas of town that is still

being developed. While my block is completely built, around the block from me is still in the late stages of development and potential buyers visit frequently. It is a warm summer day. The air smells of freshly cut grass and I sit in a lawn chair on my front yard. The neighbor’s kids are outside riding bicycles up and down the street. They are fairly young and attend the elementary school around the block. Their mother comes over and invites me for dinner. I accept the offer and she welcomes be to the neighborhood. I have spoken to my neighbors and gotten that they are mostly veterans with young children. Ideal target for suburban housing, nuclear family unit. I have decided to eat dinner with the people next door and get a better grip on their views on the issues across the country regarding race. I have just left dinner and gathered that the family would be in shock if a house was to be sold to anyone of color. They feel the sense of a safe neighborhood which is what they were promised would be threatened. They want to be able to let their kids roam the town with no qualms of who they might encounter. Very interesting information. From my point of view being from the future I find this a common theme. The idea of being a safe place for the family is what suburbia thrives on. The people here have an irrational fear that the presence of a black man, woman, or child automatically means the introduction of violence. An unfortunate correlation that has followed black people for ages. Looking at the time I am from, 1117, this is something people have finally overcome.

After a few days of staying I discover a black family has gone to visit an open

house in Levittown around the block. I decide to go meet them first and ask to tag along. I go with them to the open house and the realtor is only making eye contact with me carrying the conversation with me alone. When we go to leave he doesn’t even give them his card and tells them the price is far higher than the going rate is. As we are stepping outside other neighbors have gathered to look at the family but attempt to be nonchalant about it.

FUTURE In 2117 the town of Levittown has grown a lot since its racist and segregated past. In the past where you could walk anywhere and not see any people of color for days you can clearly see the differences now. This has had overwhelming benefits for the community. Whereas in the past children grew up excluded from any culture beyond their own they now have an understanding and respect for all people. This is seen not just in this town but across the country. The government has been completely reshaped and there are far less tensions than there were in the past. That was until the past seeped back in. The idea of history repeating itself became true when in the year 2116 new elected official brought back policies that allow property owners to make their own decisions about who they let live there. This was done in the name of money and greed as a way to push unwanted families off of their rented land in order to make more money off of more affluent families. Then came the rise of New Homes Now.

NHN BUSINESS PROPOSAL “We, the founding fathers of New Homes Now (NHN) want to offer the New American Dream to everyone. We want to build houses that are fitting the ever growing and changing society we are living in. Families are starting to grow and the original Levitt house generation is aging. We want to build up your home so they can be intergenerational. We have already started our projects by purchasing foreclosed houses and building them into large, beautiful homes. We simply are building on the legacy the Levitts left behind. Original Levitt houses were meant to be built up and that is exactly what we do. We take the true Levitt house structure and then raise it off the ground. We dig below the houses giving the new opportunity for a basement, which no Levitt house was built with. We then extend upwards and outwards. We build off the original frame and then build up. We are calling on Levittown community members to choose this option and to join our force. If you join our team we can make sure houses that are not living up to the Levittown standard are built up. Join us in making Levittown a town for the new generation.”

EXCERPT FROM PAGE 5 OF THE PROPOSAL “Job growth is an important factor in any neighborhood. Not only will the project itself create jobs through construction and material and property sales you can join the newly founded NHN Community Watch Committee. This committee is responsible for making sure all Levittowners follow the regulations that were originally set in place by the Levitt family. You will be in charge of ticketing violators of any rules that are in place. Such as curfews, lawn care, car care, sidewalk care and many others.”

ANALYSIS Referring to image 2.2 is the tickets that are being handed out to the violators of any accounts that were previously stated. These are targeted at lower income families who are working and too busy to maintain the absurd conditions. These are accounts

from actual residents. “I work as a firefighter and work overnights constantly. The past month I have been ticketed two separate times because I came home after the newly instated curfews. It is a disservice to our communities service people.” “I work two jobs and don’t always have time to trim my bushes. The past month they grew a little too much and I got ticketed leading to a ridiculous fine.”

INTERVIEW #1

My most recent interview took place with one of the developers leading the plan

for the new developments. He revealed to me that the houses they want to take over all happen to be in one development of the town. The plan is to buy the houses off of the homeowners, knock them down, and then auction off the land to other property owners at a private auction. The land will be bought then the planning will begin. He revealed that the houses are all to be true to the original Levittown ideal. They are all to look alike and just be built up. They have already started to build up certain houses that were left foreclosed. This started in 2017 but has expanded over the years. He revealed to me that the way they are attempting to push people out is by instilling other ideals from the

original Levitt leases. The original leases state lawns must be perfectly cut and cars cannot be left in the street as well as other appearance laws. They have “hired” community watch officers to regulate and control these appearance issues. As a result, anyone who has any slight appearance issue gets fined/ticketed. After three tickets, they have to go to a community hearing where it is determined if they are to remain in their house or not. INTERVIEW #2 My second interview was with another anthropologist working alongside me. Lilia had given me her observations of an event in the town that seemed to be a white supremacist group. “There is a town meeting happening near the renovated houses. A gathering of Caucasian people stand around as a white man talks on a podium built from scraps of wood that are painted with the colors of the American flag. All of the people are holding signs and are protesting for the town to once again be segregated as it once was in the 1950’s. Signs read, “Restore Levitt Housing! We want our paradise back!” as well as “Segregate and celebrate!” I walk around the perimeter of the protest, keeping distance from the loud crowd. One person spots me and comes over to me, giving me a pamphlet with information written on it. It is an informational piece about the pros of segregation and the cons of shared housing with races. The person, who is identified as a middle-aged Caucasian woman, has anti-black propaganda covering her shirt and hat. I take the pamphlet and quickly walk away because of the intensity the protest is becoming. Neighbors are coming out of their homes and watching from their porches. A few pedestrians who are passing by shake their heads while others get into

confrontational arguments with the protestors. I take a step back and watch the reactions of the people who are not part of the protest. A child who stands on the porch, clutches her mother's’ leg, seeming distressed and scared.”

INTERVIEW #3 I have met with a woman, Cheryl Dice, who is one of the first victims of the housing project proposed by New Homes Now. Her and her husband work as professors at an elite university. They have three children who are all in grade school. They had to fire their landscapers who were not doing a good job and when the grass and bushes over grew just a slight bit they found themselves receiving violations from multiple people. They tried to fight the violations and were unsuccessful. The next thing they knew their house was taken from them and destroyed. The land was auctioned and they were given the option to rent out a portion of the newly built mansion which they ended up deciding to do. They now live in the basement apartment of the new house. ANALYSIS It is apparent that the issue is gaining momentum and causing a break between community members. There has been the formation of a new group called Women for Equal Housing. These women have come together to fight against the new movement that has taken over their town.

2017 FIELDNOTES Back in 2017 there are no signs that this is possible in happening. The town is

growing steadily and becoming more diverse. When I lecture in a local college and at town hall meetings I bring up this hypothetical and people seem blown away by how impossible it could possibly be.

NHN PROPOSAL MEETING FIELD NOTES I have just come from the proposal meeting for NHN. When this issue occured to Cheryl she had no clue about what was happening. It was in the early days of NHN. They are now proposing it to community members and of course those who will benefit from it most… the white families, are ecstatic about the opportunity for more space in their houses. They crave the life that other New Yorkers off of Long Island have, more land for not as much. From my understanding the way they are getting the more land for not as much is because the families that move into the sectioned off part of the newly renovated houses give them a tax cut, this clause is something that NHN doesn’t publically announce but it is in their documents that I have acquired at the proposal meeting.

WOMAN FOR EQUAL HOUSING PROTEST RESULTS Last week the Woman for Equal Housing group exposed this clause in the agreement with NHN and its new mansion owners. After this exposure multiple families decided to sue the company and they are currently being federally investigated as a white supremacist group that takes advantage of other people for financial benefit. As a result of a newly instated education act that declares that history textbooks are to be composed of first hand written accounts by those facing injustice they are requiring all future textbooks to have the actions of the NHN reported as first hand accounts in order

to not hide the truth and to prevent this from occurring in the future.