Evening star., 1936-10-11
CAREFUL CITY PLANNING
HELD WAY TOE END SLUMS
Responsibility Rests Upon Municipal
tiles, With Federal Government Coop
Grating in Program, Observer Says.

Wy Jul oohy WIN oAo ANAAe w WIN
general good? If this could be done
builders would take pride in crafts
manship and sound construction,
landlords would consider the welfare
of their tenants and tenants would
take pride in keeping their homes
and premises clean and would do what
they can to keep up high standards
of cleanliness and beauty in their
neighborhood and their city. 1t is
not an impossible task.
Haphazard, unregulated growth of
cities is also cause of slunls. In the
past any one has been permitted to
put up any sort Of structure wherever
he pleased. It is only in recent years
that there has been much control OF
urban development. Thus factories
and shops were placed on residential
streets next to private dwellings, tene-
ments or apartments. The owner may
have profited. but the neighborhood
suffered. Values of house property
went down because they could no
longer be rented to discriminating
tenants.
The Process Of Blight.
Not only the cities, but the suburbs
and small towns suffered in this way.
The factory or store started the proc
eSs Of blight and the community
started slipping onto the downgrade.
Since the residences could be rented
only to inferior tenants and rents de-
clined, there was no incentive on the
owners part to make repairs. So
standards of upkeep and maintenance
reflected the discouragement OF own
ers and tenants. Slums largely origi-
nate in this way.
In the last 20 years a means has
been discovered to stay this process.
It is called coming. Most American
cities and towns have adopted it. 1t
begins in the study of the existing
types of buildings and tendencies in
each district of the city. 1t then sets
off certain areas for exclusive residen-
tial use, other areas for the heavy in
dustries. There may also be CONNER
cial zones or mixed zones. In each
district the type. height. use and area
or bulk of buildings is definitely re-
stricted by law. Changes in Zoning
may be made only with the consent
of specified per cent of owners. They
are-or should be-consulted before
the zones are established. The zones
usually represent the wishes of a
majority of owners in the area zoned.
This practice, at its best, can pre-
vent the intrusion of major sources of
blight. It needs further development
and refinement, in most communities,
to accomplish this purpose. Residen.
tial neighborhoods are still too un-
conscious of the possibilities Of self
protection through zoning. A handful
of self-seeking owners may still
dominate the district councils.
Neighborhood improvement associa-
tions are also needed. Such an organ
ization kept industries of of Fifth
avenue in New York. Another, of
Harlem Negroes, induced the owners
to keep up their properties, persuaded
tenants to plant gardens and kept
stores of the residential streets. An
other, in Boston. organized to fight
for frequent collection of garbage and
refuse, turned to the improvement of
its rooming house district, organized
landladieS to maintain high standards,
fought for improved legislation and
thus stayed the process of blight.
If each residential district had such
O Iocol occooiofion dar,;oo faJ h,, L.,
telligent and farseeing leaders, and
reaching owners and tenants alike, an
upward movement for
would be observed.
Dirty yards and vacant lots would be
cleaned. Fences. porches and walks
would be repaired. Gardens would be
planted. Neighborhood pride would
displace encouragement.
Opportunity for Improvement.
Yet the problem Is larger than the
or the neighborhood. In
some of its aspects it concerns not
only the city but the entire metropoli-
tan region. Narrow streets tend to
make slums. Railroad tracks, elevated
railways, street car lines leave slums
in their wake. To replace elevated
railways and street car lines with
motor buses will give their neighbcr-
hoods an opportunity for improve
ment. The widening of old streets,
executed, brightens up dark
rooms and makes it necessary for
tenements to put on new front.
There are usually slums down by
the tracks" But many railroads could
be induced to cooperate in improving
or screening their properties if the
city and local improvement associa-
tons would improve all buildings or
back yards which face the tracks. Still
better, industrial districts rather than
residences can be planned for the
of railroads.
In undeveloped regions the city has
its opportunity to make fresh start,
avoid mistakes of the past and plan
for all of the amenities of life. The
checkerboard street system may be
abandoned for winding tree-lined
streets with wide grass strips, for fire.
quent parks. Fairgrounds and vistas;
for the exclusion of factories, for
of neighborhood stores
in a convenient shopping center. If
such a plan for the neighborhood unit
is combined with adequate control
Of construction standards and sup
by competent architectural
supervision provided by the subdi-
the slum is banished in per-
petuity.
This whole process requires q mas
ter plan. This means that there should
be a city planning authority within
the city government, manned by
skillful specialists, with appropria-
tions adequate for intensive study of
the facts Of city life in the fields Of
population growth, engineering, rec
reation, housing. From their recon-
to the city council the
control Of development becomes
possible.
Chaos and haphazard growth are
City water and sewerage
systems can reach every home.
Through traffic can be localized and
kept of the residential streets. High
ways and transit can be so ordered