Evening star., 1937-09-19
NEWHOUS|NGFUND
AVAILABLE TO D. E.;
EXPERTS TO MEET
Capital May Qualify for Part
of $526, 600, 900 for Low.
Rent Program.
MARYLAND MAY SHARE;
VIRGINIA STILL IS OUT
Conference Here Will Be Behind
Closed Observation-Disclosures
to Be Named Soon.
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.


Washington is one of the few
cities Of the country in a position
to qualify Immediately for funds Of
the United States Housing Authority,
1t was announced last night, as ex-
perts began gathering to discuss plans
for launching the new $526,000,000
low-rent housing program authorized
by the Wagner -Steagall act.
That there is no time to lose in
reaching an accord on matters of
policy and procedure was indicated
In reports that President Roosevelt
IS expected to clear the deck for
early initiation OF the program By
appointing the new housing admins.
traitor this week. Some of the candi.
dates said to be under consideration
will attend tomorrow's conference.
1t was because of urgency Of the
situation that Secretary of the In
terror Ickes, under whose department
the new housing authority will oper-
ate, warned last night that Is States
and all except so cities have failed
to qualify for benefits from the forth
coming national housing program.
Unless they take steps soon to set
up State and local housing authorities.
lckes indicated they will be left out
in the cold.
Ihher's Action Timely.
fortunately. the timely action of
John hlder in having the Alley
Dwelling Authority Of the District in
ciuded IN the terms Of the act paved
the way for Washington to share at
the outset in the distribution of hous-
Ing funds. Another advantage lies in
the fact that the Alley Dwelling Au-
thor1ty has been working on a sched-
uled program of its own and H in
an excellent position to be among
the first In submitting q list of
projects.
In addition to Washington, the
larger cities qualified include New
York, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland.
birmingham, Atlanta, Los Angeles.
Chicago, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo
and Louisville. The others among
the favored SO are comparatively
small.
Virginia is conspicuous among thu
II States that have not yet enacted
housing laws. Maryland finds itself
on the right side Of the ledger, but
the other States which stu must
qualify are Arizona, California, Idaho.
Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota.
Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma.
South Dakota, Utah, Washington and
Wyoming.
Conference to Be Closed.
Tomorrow's conference under Secre-
tary Ickes will bring together all
shades of public housing thought and
some clashes Of thought are expected.
1t will be held behind closed doors.
Mayor Fiorello La Guardia of New
York, president of the United States
Conference Of Mayors, will attend.
No group is more interested In the
new program than the Conference of
Mayors. Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
who has taken leading role In the
demolition of xlum areas in Washing
ton, and Ihlder, local Alley Dwelling
~~A'J @~AAAAAAAAoeA oVOIp &A6O Will AZ
tend. Ihlder Is being mentioned as
possible choice for head of the new
housing authority.
There are others prominently men
toned for the post. Howard A. Grav.
director Of the p. w. A. Housing
Division. who has had charge of the
most extensive slum clearance pro-
gram for the last two years, has the
backing Of Secretary Ickes and
large following throughout the country
where the P. w. A. has charged
housing conditions in some so cities
He will be leading influence In the
conference.
Missing from the conference. how
ever, will be perhaps the most formid-
able candidate, Nathan Straus Of the
New York Housing Authority. He was
one OF the few invited experts who
IS unable to attend. Louis r. Brown
low, former District of Columbia
commissioner. is another unable to
attend. Although Senator Robert F.
wagner of New York also will be
absent. Representative Henry B. Stea-
gall OF Alabama, co-author OF the
housing bill, has accepted.