Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26
CAPPER URGES us.
BUILDING Project.
TO ATTACK RENTS.
Favors Housing Program
and New Code Here to
Ease Problem.
PROPOSES new AGENCY
TO PROBE COMPLAINTS
Landlords Also Would Be Ii.
censed and Board Would Set
Minimum Standards.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY,

BY j. A. OlLEAkY.
Construction by the Federal Gov
eminent of a large number of low
rent houses in Washington. and en-
actment Of general code to regulate
various phases of the housing prob
lem were advocated last night by
Senator Capper, Republican of Kan
sas. ranking minority member Of the
Senate District Committee.
Taking the view that private build
ing operations ARE largely confined
to erection of houses for SALE" the
Senator urged a Government con-
struction program of self-liquidating
rental properties on a more extensive
scale than is contemplated at present
by either the Public Works Admins
tratlon or the Alley Dwelling Au-
thority.
Sees Need for 5000 Units.
Contending there is an acute short
age of facilities for those who rent.
the Kansan issued a statement, in
which he said:
ION the basis Of the current needs
of Washington, believe it will be
necessary to build not less than 5000
units. or $4,000 rooms, of low-and-
medium-rent housing. combining row
house, fiat and apartment types. I
am aware this is big order. but we
must not forget our problem Is a
big one, too"
The code of laws he suggested, to
accompany the building program.
would set minimum standards for
housing. classify properly all types of
housing and provide for their IL
censing. reporting and regulation;
and set up an agency under the
Commissioners to settle landlord and
tenant disputes, to supervise admin
tstration of the code, and to main
tain real records On housing in the
District"
Would Provide for Probes.
"Such an agency" he continued,
SHOULD have power to conduct in
vestigations into housing complaints,
and to inform the public as to housing
trends, practices and legal require
ments. At the same time, it would be
desirable to bring under the licensing
provisions all responsible persons en-
gagged In the business Of offering
houses for rent"
Senator Capper pointed out that
p. w. A. Is constructing housing
project for colored tenants and may
undertake q white project later on"
He said the Alley Dwelling Authority
also has an important task in elimi-
mating inhabited alleys, and feels that
It has a moral obligation to assure the
proper rehousing of families whose
alley dwellings must be destroyed"
The Senator said these two govern
mental enterprises do not conflict, and
pointed out that A. r. Clas, director
Of housing for P. w. A., is q member
also of the Alley Dwelling Authority,
of which John Ihlder is executive OFF,
Ger.
Points to Limited Funds.
In referring to the work of the
Alley Dwelling Authority, Senator
Capper added:
1.-THE Alley Dwelling Authority
has limited funds, and furthermore. it
Is, at present, restricted by law to
operate only in squares which contain
inhabited alleys. It cannot at this
time undertake extensive housing de-
velopments, but may, through acquisi-
ton of land in squares containing not
only an alley, but considerable vacant
land-hence a lower site cost-con-
struct dwellings to accommodate for
mer alley jewellers who cannot find
homes through their own efforts"
Declaring these existing government
tai plans ARE not suficient to meet
the Washington housing crisis" Sena-
tor Capper continued:
Il do not suggest that the Govern
ment should attempt to build homes
for all the people of Washington-that
is furthest from my thoughts. Private
enterprise must do its part for those in
the higher income brackets"
In another part of his statement
Senator Capper said:
II know that any proposal for the
Government actively to enter the low
rent housing field in Washington will
be met by the cry that the Federal
Government is invading field sacred
to private enterprise. II this be so,
let the spokesman for the real estate
operators and builders tell us what
they are doing in the low-rent housing
field"
"Tired" Of Housing Problem.
Senator Capper said that when he
returned to Washington last month
he was struck by the similarity Of
conditions in the city today to those
which obtained during the days fol-
lowing the close Of the World War"
He argued there is no foundation for
. fear that Washington win have an
oversupply Of housing when these new
Government Offices are closed"
Frankly. I am sick and tired Of
this recurring rent and housing ques-
ton In Washington" his statement
read, and think great many Of my
colleagues In the Senate feel the same
way"