By Marie Mulvenna

A program affiliated with Sts. Peter and Paul parish in Decatur, could dramatically affect the real estate profession and home buying procedures in the area. Homefinders Listing Service has been described by its president, Larry French, as a means of establishing a housing referral service as an affirmative action plan to implement the 1968 Fair Housing Law.

Additional purposes of the unique service are to increase individual freedom of choice in housing and to foster stable integrated communities as desirable social models.

French, a Chicago transplant and graduate of the University of Toledo arrived in Atlanta 3½ years ago and has worked as a general agency stockbroker, insurance agent and financial planner in Decatur. He is now on the staff of Sts. Peter and Paul parish as a full-time community affairs coordinator and his total efforts these days are directed to implementing the purposes of the Homefinders Listing Service (HLS) by making it known, utilized and, subsequently, more effective.

French explained that the HLS program is a replica of other such services offered in different areas of the country. He said the unusual referral project would provide a service for the consumer by offering listings of houses for sale by owners. For real estate brokers, French said, the service "will assume the risks involved in marketing housing in a non-discriminatory way." Actually, he said, "it will work to open up the full range of the housing market to all brokers." French said the service would also bridge Atlanta's dual housing markets by its position as a clearinghouse for sellers and buyers, both white and black.

The project, French reported, is not that of a real estate agency nor broker, but offers its services both in cooperation with, and as a supplement to, the efforts of existing real estate firms and agents.

French, who was led to his new venture via Cursillo, said races living side by side is not at all an impossibility and "it can be done and done beautifully." He has been involved with the successful Flat Shoals Alliance and says reported problems are merely "myths." He referred to countless programs throughout the country, all designed to keep the transition from all white to all black in a neighborhood.

Unless groups and individuals dedicated to open neighborhoods inject their concern into the real estate system, that system will continue to segregate our cities." He said the HLS is seeking support for the program from foundation grants, governmental agencies, interested individuals and groups as well as chambers of commerce and large business firms who transfer people to Atlanta.

The HLS works by listing homes and apartments for sale or rent by owners. There is no fee charged at all and French then arranges to have a picture taken of the property and culls pertinent detailed data on the listing. The procedure brings seller and prospective buyer together and does not involve financing, closing or any of the legal aspects of the real estate profession.

"When someone comes into our office, which is currently at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, we show them what we have on file that might interest them. We do try to promote integrated neighborhoods and tell them as much as we can about the particular neighborhood," says French.

He terms the HLS system a positive action step toward the promotion of integration and shows listings based only on the monetary aspect, never race, religion or nationality. "We are farthest from a racist organization that you could imagine," he reports. The HLS does not publish a listing as such, but does work with cooperating brokers as well as the clients who come to them directly. He sys the HLS is anxious to work more closely with realtors, adding that the program "seeks and needs their cooperation to change the industry into the good thing it could be."

He "good thing" French says is integrated neighborhoods where blacks and whites can happily co-exist. He is quietly critical of block busting and steerage tactics which break up neighborhoods by innuendo that the area is transition and "going" in favor of one race. Steerage, he explained, is a method whereby the industry itself decides for the prospective buyer where they should show him homes, this avoiding the transition or integrated neighborhoods.

French reports that the housing market now seems to be picking up considerably, stating that recent months have been "terrible." Now, he said, it is expected to pick up drastically with lower interest available and numerous good buys on the market.

At the moment, HLS has more than 50 listings of residences and hopes for many more. How many depends on publicity for the group as well as the continued support of numerous churches and community organizations. Funds to help in the area would be nice too, French adds with a laugh. But, funds or not, HLS will continue to work for neighborhoods where people will live happily no matter what their color.