Evening star., 1937-05-15
E.H.A. HELPS GUIDE
GROWTH Of CITIES
Subdivision and Planning
Conferences Held in
Large Centers.

III Federal Housing Administration
through a series OF subdivision and
land planning conferences being held
in large urban centers, is lending
guiding hand in the intelligent control
OF the growth Of cities.
This work emphasizes the problems
Of city planning, the dangers to be
faced IN careless planning, the causes,
reasons and results Of poor planning
In the past which have resulted In
blighted areas in all large commu-
mites, and means whereby these areas
may be salvaged
In addition, an important contri-
button to the development and main
tenance OF sound real estate and
mortgage security in large population
centers Is being made through the
conference work
ut will be noted" according to
Federal Housing Administrator Stew
art Mcdonald, that while stimulation
OF business in the operative builder
AiSASA 40 0CAli6 dNll1CNCA All UllS
vision conference work, this activity
is more particularly serving to salvage
areas which were blighted at their
inception, and to show how such errors
may be avoided in the future. We
are, through this work, plainly aiding
IN the prevention of unnecessary ex-
pansion OF cities and the costs of
urban administration which such ex-
pansion entails"
2S Meetings Already Held.
With several conferences under way
at present and others scheduled for
the near future. % such meeting have
been held to date in large urban CEN
ters under direction of Seward H.
Mott, chief Of the Land Planning Sec
ton. Between $50 and 1000 subdi-
visions have been inspected at the
request of developers and recon-
mendations have been made as to the
soundest way to develop these
properties.
An analysis of the subdivisions Wis
tied indicates that approximately 80
per cent are developments that were
placed on the market some years ago.
In large number of cases some lots
had been sold and very frequently
dwellings erected. Many o. the areas
were in difficulties. Because of the
complete subdivision service available
at Federal Housing Administration
subdivision conferences, it has been
possible to set up programs for oper-
atlve builders and subdividers which,
II followed, would give assurance that
their properties would develop into
sound stable neighborhoods in which
maximum loans could be safely in
sured. Lacking this type of technical
assistance, there Is no question but
that large percentage Of these prop
critics would have developed into either
bllghted or outlying slum districts, or
into areas which would not rate suffi-
GENTLY high to warrant maximum
mortgage loans, Mr. Mcdonald said.
Excessive Developments Checked.
The 20 per cent of new or pro-
posed subdivisions were for the most
part in areas where there was a Short
age of suitable sites for homes in the
loWer-price ranges. 1t was shown re-
peatedly that instead of stimulating
unwarranted and excessive subdivision
developments, the conference resulted
In checking the plating Of the type
OF land OF which there was an over
supply and in the encouragement Of
the development of sites for which
there was a demonstrated and real
demand in the particular community.
This effect of the activities of the
subdivision conferences cannot be too
strongly emphasized.
Subdividers have been continually
urged to become operative builders
rather than simply land spectators,
and there appears to be clearly de-
fined trend In this direction in all
parts OF the country.
In conferences conducted to date
special meetings were held with plan
ming and zoning commissioners in the
cities visited and cooperation given
in the establishment OF proper sub
division regulations with special at
tention to the factors that tend to
control or improve city growth.