Evening star., 1935-06-09
Requests by U. S. Workers
for Southeast Building
Considered.
FINANCE ASSURANCES
REPORTED TO HACKERS
Appeal Is Made for Low-Cost
Homes for 1000 Families-Sites
Are Under Consideration.

partment are giving consideration 10
request of Navy Yard employees and
other Government workers to finance
with P. w. A. funds a S2.000.000
housing development. preferably in
southeast Washington to provide low
cost homes for more than 1000 famt-
lies.
Assurances of P. w. A. aid were
reported at a meeting yesterday at
Naval Lodge Hall Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and Fourth street southeast. by
officers of the newly organized Holly
wood Park Planning Corporation. a
cooperative movement of Government
employees who are back of the housing
project. While negotiations are pend
ing with Administrator Clas of the
Housing Division. no decision has yet
been reached by the Government.
Secretary IckeS has applied for
s7000,00n for two housing projects in
Washington For months sites have
been under consideration in southwest
and northeast Washington. There is
no assurance from the Housing Dl-
vision that either one of these long
considered sites will be selected.
Confident of Financial Aid.
The Navy Yard employees, who are
being joined III the movement to Sc
cure better housing officials BY the
BoOkbinders Union, No. 4. and others
are confident they will obtain finan-
cial aid from p. w. A. The newly
formed corporation desires to build
the homes itself. instead of having the
work done by the Housing Division
That is matter which officers of the
corporation claim the Housing Di-
vision has not decided.
The corporation will call another
meeting of Navy Yard employees soon
it was said last night, to select a
site for the proposed project. Un-
developed sites in several sections are
being considered, rather than goine
into a neighborhood already built up
The need for houses is so great
people are actually fighting for them,
Albert Pake. secretary of the CO.
operative movement declared. The
desire to own homes is so keen that
it is hard to understand why the
Government has not already provided
housing projects for its employees
here"
Other L. S. Workers Eligible.
Emil Leonard is president Of the
Hollywood Corp. cooperative move
ment which is not limited to Navy
Yard employees Other Government
workers, it was said. are eligible to
membership.
The corporation grew out Of the
efforts Of the Housing Committee of
Columbia Lodge. Machinists. to pro-
vide better and more moderately
priced homes for Government en-
ployes in the Navy Yard. The COM
mittee has made a long study of
needs.
Should P. w A. turn down the
proposition, it is proposed to go ahead
with the movement and private
financing
Mr. Pake declared the movement
started as means Of removing union
men off the relief rolls and was sub
mitted to P. w. A. primarily on that
basis.
The project. if carried through,
would be sufficiently large to accom-
modate more than 1000 families.
Out of 365 replies to questionnaires
received by the committee some time
ago. Mr.. Pake said they represented
1852 people, including 422 children.
Many more people have evinced a de-
sire to come into the movement since
then. he claimed.
Further Word Awaited.
The corporation is awaiting further
word from the Housing Division which
already has explained to the committee
in charge the usual methods employed
by P. w. A. in stablishing projects on
a 25-year payment basis.
Mr.. Pake claimed there are enough
skilled workers among the corporation
members to erect their own homes and
II this Is done, he said, the work will
be on non-profit basis.
Further conferences are to be held
with Interior Department officials who
have given the Navy Yard employees
to understand the Government thinks
faVorably of the proposition.