Evening star., 1937-02-01
HOUSE COMMITTEE
O.K.'S$1,046,757,143
FIRST SUPPLY BILL
80 Independent Agencies
Appropriations Are
Approved.
s161, 900 FOR DISTRICT
ALLEY DWELLING UNIT
$S93. 900 Included for Planning
Commission-$200,00 for Me.
mortal Parkway.

The House Appropriations Commit
tee approved today the first regular
appropriation bill of this session OF
Congress. 1t carries Sl,046,757,l43 for
more than 80 independent govern
mental agencies for the fiscal year
starting July l.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission is to receive
Ss93,70O for expenditure in the Dis
trict of Columbia and the Alley
Dwelling Authority receives reappro-
priation of $l6l 900 as working capi-
tai in the Independent Offices appro-
priation bill. as reported to the House.
This bill will be under consideration
in the House today and tomorrow.
OF the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission budget $500. 900
Is divided as follows: 100000 for the
George Washington Memorial Park
way, 100000 for the Maryland Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission
and 100000 for expenditure in the
District.
The Alley Dwelling Authority. which
has paid its own way during the two
years it has been in operation, accord
ing to John Ihlder, the director, has
estimated receipts for sales and leases
amounting to $4,000 and an unex-
pended balance of $136,000.
Ihlder Warns Congress.
Director Ihlder, in hearings before
the subcommittee, of which Represen-
tative Woodrum of Virginia is chair
man. warned Congress that the work
of eliminating alley slums and replac-
Ing them with low-cost housing projects
or other improvements, will probably
not be completed by July l. 1914. as the
original act contemplated. He ex-
planned that the authority had been
hampered at the start because the
original appropriation was only $780,
900 instead of $3,000,000 proposed
when the 10-year time limit was set.
Since May, 1885, we have acquired
all the land required for redevelop-
ment in 10 squares" Mr.. Ihlder re-
ported. I'VE have demolished all alley
dwellings in the 13 alleys of those 10
squares and We have completed con-
struction in 6 of the 10 squares"
Financial Status Summarized.
Mr.. Ihlder summarized the present
financial status of the Alley Dwelling
Authority: Our total capital amounts
to S690,194. We have on hand in
fixed property and other assets, $327,-
900 and cash available, allocated, but
not yet under contract of $326,000,
making a total of S653 ,000."
The overhead cost of the Alley
Dwelling Authority is about s35,000
a year, Mr.. Ihlder said, which is
more than made up by profits from
the new dwellings or sale and lease of
land and structures under its super
vision. The entire job of cleaning up
the unsigh:ly and healthy menacing
alleys in the National Capital will
be accomplished without any cost to
the Government, Mr.. Ihlder conf
IDENTIFY predicted.
Because Of the bargaining" ele-
ment involved, he said he was unable
TO tell Congress at this time what
projects would be undertaken during
the next fiscal year.
we sold part of our acquisition on
Valley street to a private developer,
who proposes to put up hotel for
Negroes that will front on Thirteenth
street." Mr. Ihlder pointed out.
There is only one adequate Negro
hotel in Washington and there is very
great need for another.
Another Development Planned.
I'VE have completed plans for
low-rent apartment house in one of
the 10 squares acquired and we have
begun to make plans for another
housing development and a building
to be used by one of the District
agencies. This is to be leased to
the agency temporarily with the un-
derstanding that they may eventually
buy it,
The Alley Dwelling Authority is
now taking options on four addi-
tional squares, Mr.. Ihlder said. and
q study has been made of 96 squares
in order to determine where the next
developments will be undertaken.
we seek to pick the best bargains
10 that we can get the best results
for our money. In this way one
project helps us with the next