Evening star., 1935-05-05
HOUSING PROJECT
ANALYSIS IS MADE
BY CITIZEN GROUP
Rhode Island Avenue Body
to Act on Proposal Wed.
nesday Night.

posed Federal housing project south
of Rhode Island avenue northeast
A. F. Sievers has prepared report
giving results of QUESTIONABLE and
two-sided analysis to be acted upon
by the Rhode Island Avenue Citizens
Association Wednesday night.
Last month, just after plans for the
project had been announced, the aSso-
citation adopted resolution opposing
the plan unless and until the citizens
associations In this section of the city
have been given the opportunity to be
heard on the matter"
owing to the extreme importance
of this project as affecting property
values and the general welfare of our
community and its highly controversial
nature" Sievers report states, every
effort has been made to obtain COM
plete facts and to present the matter
to our association members and the
community as a whole in an impartial
manner, setting forth the possible ad-
vantages and objections which have
suggested themselves in the course Of
the investigation"
Scope Of Project.
The project as proposed would
occupy a 65-acre tract of undeveloped
land on Rhode Island avenue between
Brentwood road and Seventeenth
street northeast. The cost is about
$2,500,000 and the first development is
planned to cover about half the acre
age. It is to be completed in about
two years time and will house $50 to
l 900 families whose annual income is
less than $1,000, the report states.
Recently 10 questions were submit
ted to the Housing Committee. AS a
result of these questions the following
facts were made available to the aSso-
citation:
/. The purpose is to establish
ADEQUATE housing for those Of insufh-
cient income to purchase desirable
accommodations. 1t also will demon
strate the most modern and desirable
principles of community planning, site
planning and house and apartment
layout.
2. Selection Of tenants is not based
solely upon their income and ability
to pay, but also upon their deslr-
ability. Experience shows there are
always more applications than ac-
commodations, therefore careful ten
ant selection can be made,
8. No sketch of the project show
ing the portion of the ground in the
specific tract under consideration has
been prepared; examples OF similar
projects are available, however.
4. The houses would be combi-
efo ~
two-story apartments and row houses
of the most modern design to provide
better living conditions. No unit Is
more than two rooms deep. to pro-
vide excellent ventilation and light
ing.
5. No new schools are contemplated
within the projected site, but a few
shops might be located on land al
ready zoned for business.
6. Final management plans for the
projects have not been worked out
3 Plans are for management by non
profit agency of semi-public nature
to be selected or created by the
Housing Division. The management
would be under the supervision of the
Housing Division: a school is con-
templated for the managers Of such
projects.
Site Still Indefinite.
7. The site has not been definitely
selected; no other site within the area
bounded on the south by the B. & o.
and Pennsylvania Railroads and on
the west by the Metropolitan Branch
of the B. IL o. is under under con-
: sideration.
8. The effect a project may have
on adjacent property Is considered
before recommendations are made for
the type of project. This project
would be of modern planning, highest
type of management, provide for
beautifully Handicapped areas between
buildings and should, according to
the Housing Committee, produce a
neighborhood far more beautiful than
could be otherwise achieved.
9. The project would be self-sus-
tanning and self-liquidating, except
for grant of 80 per cent to labor
and materials allowed under the ma
tional industrial recovery act. The
law does not, so far as we can
determine" prohibit its sale to private
interests; however, If such would
happen, the rents would be raised
considerably for profit to private in
terests.
10. There would be no restrictive
covenant.
Summarizing the results Of the
questionnaire, the committee points
to the following advantages:
It appears that present plans and
design might be superior to any
construction that can be expected
through development of private in
terests. The project will be located
In an undesirable area near the rail-
road tracks.
The general appearance and type
of construction would indicate a ma
terial asset to the community. 1t is
one of a Nationwide scheme for
low-cost housing and thus is greater
and more stable in scope than if
merely local. The resources Of the
United States Government are be-
hind it, assuring completion and
maintenance.
Such a large project may be the
means of acquiring additional trans
portation facilities, railroad bridges,
trafic lights and other improve
ments. This is the first project Of
its kind IN the District and one of
the first in the country and thus has
the possibility of the Governments
best efforts to demonstrate its sue
cess.
Disadvantages Shown.
Against these advantages, the COM
mittee furnishes members the fol-
lowing disadvantages between which
they must decide:
The project establishes large
rental project in the midst Of
community essentially homecoming,
which may tend to reduce real estate
values; there is no positive assurance
the project is not connected with
slum clearance.
The accumulation of TOO to 1000
families of small income in one small
area might result in congregation
of large families of lower standards