Evening star., 1936-09-03
Group Houses Are Included
In Slun,-Clearance Projects
of Mixed Settlements Is Tech.
aUOOd At atlanta - Milwaukee and
Wayne, Pa, Units of Same Type.

The Federal housing programs
progress and its social significance
are discussed In q series OF 10
articles. of Dltich this is the third,
by a Deteran newspaper man ioho
traueled seueral thousand miles to
inspect the housing projects in
many parts OF the United States.
BY WILLIAM C. McCLOY.
Besides apartment houses, Uncle
Sans slum-clearance projects include
group houses, in rows and semi-de-
tached. The Brewster project in De-
troit and the Old Harbor Village pro-
ject in Boston are mixed settlements.
Others. like Durkkeville at Jackson
vile. Fla, and Lincoln Gardens at
Evansville, Ind, consist entirely OF
group houses. So do Riverside Heights
Montgomery, Ala, and both the Puerto
Rico and Virgin Island projects.
Typical of the mixed settlements is
fleetwood Homes, Atlanta, Ga. It con-
sists of some three-story apartments
several two-story group houses, one
three-story dormitory and stores and
garages-in all, 604 living units and
1S9 dormitory units extending over
Is acres. though the structures occupy
but Is per cent of that area.
fleetwood is also distinguished be-
cause it is the FIRST of the Government
projects to be begun and the first to
be finished Demolition of the old
buildings on its site was started in
December, 1884. Construction of the
new buildings began in February,
1886. The first families at fleetwood
moved in on August Is.
fleetwood is the only Government
project entirely completed and already
receiving tenants. 1t replaces IL
blocks of slums. long a cause Of crime
and disease.
Removes Fire Hazard.
According to the chief of Atlanta's
Fire Department, fleetwood removes
one of the worst fire hazards in the
city. Atlanta had a terrible expert
ence of fire in 1917 and has not for
gotten it.
fleetwood was built at cost Of
So, ,101 500. All arrangements conform
to the P. W. A. standards-flreproof
buildings, hot and cold running water,
cross ventilation and plenty of sun
light. Electricity is used for lighting,
cooking and refrigeration. The all
electric equipment of the kitchens was
made possible by purchase of electric
power from the local public utility
company on a wholesale basis.
Materials are all flreproof and easy
to keep clean. The stair halls are
lined with glazed Giles. Living rooms,
bed rooms and dining rooms have as
phalt tiled floors. Kitchen floors are
covered with linoleum. Steel easement
windows are used and screens are pro-
vided for all Of them. Vermin-proof
metal trim is in all rooms and every
apartment is served by incinerators
for garbage disposal.
1t is inteesting to note how the
national standards set by the housing
division in Washington become modi-
fed in detail by sectional climates and
customs. In this Southern housing
project emphasis Is placed on all-year
electric refrigeration.
Each applicant of the more than
1000 families who applied for the 604
living units was carefully investigated.
Under the rules more than one mar
ried couple cannot live in one house
or apartment. Households of unre-
lated working adults are also excluded.
The head of each household had to
be a resident of Atlanta for at least
year.
Difference in Income.
According to the George -Healy act,
no one with an income of more than
five times the rental can be admitted
to a Government housing project. No
one whose income is too low to pay
the rent can be admitted.
It must be remembered that all
prices and all wages are higher In
the North than in the South. That Is,
$1,000 q year in the South is said to
be equivalent to 81, 500 in the North
if it's true what they say about Dixie.
Here are the monthly rates at
fleetwood:
Heat, Total
light. average
a-2m. unit apt 1sse.sisss Hsi sS5 ssss sss47 ssssl
5Tm. t-Tm sPs sps 4ss- 4sS sS4S sS4S ss5S Ss ssSs
STm ssSs: sssss 1885, ss5 sfsS sS ssS fS fS
In Atlanta's old slum section, now