However, just because the government had selection control didn't mean that it was equal opportunity housing in that period. Despite the fact that people of all races, societal backgrounds, and ethnicity applied to receive a home in Greenbelt, only a pre-prescribed number were accepted. One example is the fact that although there is no doubt that blacks played an integral part in building the town and had a desire to live there, during the infancy of Greenbelt there were only 14 blacks in the community (comprising .49% of the population). According to the Summary of Characteristics of Greenbelt, all but 3% of the town were not young (24.7), white Americans, with 2 to 3 kids. The Greenbelt community was also intentionally comprised of a religious diversity which, although weighed heavily towards Catholicism, made sure that no inhabitant was without neighbors of similar beliefs.
The government also attempted to engineer the Greenbelt community to fit what they believed was an ideal environment. They instituted rules of what their occupants could and could not do that reached to even the minute details of life. For example, they had certain days when you couldn't hang your clothes on a clothesline and when women were required to wear certain clothes. They even mandate how large your family could get. In general, the United States government focused on making rules that dealt with social issues.
While the U.S. government could make decisions on the racial, ethnic, and societal composition of Greenbelt, it is ironic that they also passed laws against such discrimination in the private sector. As a result, the Jefferson Square community can not mandate who can live in their units, yet it still manages to attract a majority of the people it wants. However, both Sara Bronlow and I, are finding that our communities "can not be categorized into any particular group of people. Like the Greenbelt community, it is also ideal for small families who are just starting out because it encompasses the stability of owning real estate without a huge, unmanageable mortgage. But condos also attract singles as well, because it is usually their first piece of property (a milestone towards the "American Dream") and is just the right size. They attract commuting couples who wish to have a home that they can leave at a moment's notice and not have to worry about its upkeep. (Sies) Finally, the third group that the condominium community attracts is the elderly. This is largely due to the maintenance-free housing that it offers them.
However, Jefferson Square also indirectly ensures that its composition is desirable by instituting stringent rules as well. As an institution, the condominium complexes insist that condo fees be paid on time or parking privileges will be revoked instantaneously and a lien will be placed on the owner's property (45 days). This not only deters people who can't afford it from attempting to buy in the complex, but it deters from the incentive for owners to rent their units to unreliable tenants. Less extreme rules also exist in the community. For example, any damage or changes done to the common areas, offensive activity, parking in illegal spaces, or irresponsibility in owning pets (among other rules) can result in various fines, or even "prosecution to the fullest extent of the law." (Jefferson)
All in all, Jefferson Square's rules deal more with preserving the aesthetic appearances of the community. As stated before, a condo community is characterized by the fact that they have common areas. For example, one rule mandates that all cars which are parked on the parking lot must be functioning. In essence, people can not "store" their cars (broken down, with out tires, etc...) In the lot because it looks negatively on the community.