Elderly Don't Want 'Outsiders'

Residents of Miller Manor, the Ann Arbor Housing Commission's 105-unit building for the elderly at 727 Miller Ave., made clear Tuesday night that they have developed a strong feeling of possession over the building and are suspicious of "outsiders" bearing offers of "services". Most residents of the building attended i the Housing Commission's monthly business meeting to hear Warren D. Whitworth of the local Model Cities staff outI line proposals for counseling, recreation I and homemaking services that would be I run by Model Cities personnel from space in Miller Manor. The audience greeted Whitworth's 1 M ft _ f . . - J" proposals with spirited cries of "No, no . . . We don't want it . . . This is our home . . . We're not invalids . . . You just want to get into our budget. ' ' The latter comment referred to the fact that the Model Cities proposal calis on the Housing Commission to contribute $2,000 annually, and provide frequent use of office, community room and recreation room space at Miller Manor for two coördinators and five volunteers who would oversee the Model Cities program. No action on the proposal was planned by the Commission, and none was taken. Whitworth emphasized that the services, if a "provider organization" is found, will be available for all elderly residents of the Model Cities area of .flortthcgntral Ann Arbor, not only those in Miller Manor. The Model Cities proposal was the I lead-off item on a lengthy agenda which the Housing Commission attempted to deal with rapidly because Housing tor Marcia S. Wallace, who was making her first appearance on business since being assaulted at Miller Manor on Aug. I 6, was very clearly in pain from back I juries through the two-and-a-half I ing. A charge of aggravated assault in I nection with that incident had been brought against Helen Westfield, 27, who occupies a house at 1120 Olden the I ing Commission leases from Ann Arbor's Utilities Department. Arraignment was scheduled this afternoon before District Judge Pieter G. V. Thomassen. Following discussion of the Model Cities proposal, several Miller Manor residents voiced dissatisfaction with the extent of Housing Commission efforts to increase security at the building by employing a Burns Agency guard Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and during public meetings. One woman said entry to her apartment was attempted by an unidentified person Monday night. In the past, the commission's offices on the first floor of Miller Manor have been (CONT'D. ON NJXT PAGE)
burglarized sevestfl times. A policy proposal that would require payment of rent by non-tenant groups wishing to use Miller Manor's community room, subject to permanent cancellation of rental rights if an event became disorderly andor ran beyond 1 a.m. - as has occurred at least once this year - was outlined by Cmsr. Joseph R. Martin. Mrs. Wallace reported that the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department's has rejected, as too costly, the commission's "urgent" request for a special audit by Kennan-Smits and Associates that would cover four years of i the commission's financia! records and cost roughly $7,000. The commission's new accountant, Joseph L. Sokup, said he has found the 1 commission's financial records still in need of careful study and re-ordering. He said his efforts have included meetings with tenants owing utility bilis to explain that tenants (except in Miller Manor) are responsible for those bilis, although payment is guaranteed by the commission. Utility companies send their bilis to the commission, which sends its own utility bilis to tenants in addition to their. rent bilis. Sokup's employment was formerly approved by the commission last night along with the hiring of Patricia Burns as project manager for the commission's leased housing project.