Evening star., 1937-05-22
FIJI. A. AIDS WORK
ON SUBDIVISIONS
Helps Owners of Partially
Developed Tracts Eliminate
Undesirable Features.

The Federal Housing Administra-
tion is making one of it's chief con-
tributions to the stabilization of land
and property values by assisting own
ers of partially developed subdivisions
to locate and eliminate conditions
which have contributed to the blight
Ing of the neighborhoods during the
years of the depression.
More than 80 per cent of all sub
division cases being received by the
land planning section of the Federal
Housing Administration involve areas
which have been. partially developed,
but have serious flaws in the subdivi-
sion set-up.
Because these neighborhoods repre-
sent waste of land and endanger
property values in surrounding neigh
borhoods the Federal Housing Ad
mlnlstration is making every effort to
recommend to property owners ways
Of rehabilitating their properties by
eliminating the causes of the deteri
grafton.
Report of Official.
Seward Mott, chief of the admin
istration's land planning section, re-
ports that more than half of all par
tally developed subdivisions submit
ted for examination are capable of
being rehabllitated. Developers are
willing, in order to place their prop
critics in more Salable condition. to
1ol- ,t,ctp ,o1 ol,o - }a1
by the Federal Housing Adminlstra-
ton
I'VE do not confine our activities
to new subdivisions, Mott said. We
believe that the recaSting of partially
developed subdivisions is one of the
most important phases of our work
ut has been found that many ap
parently hopeless subdivisions can be
transformed into desirable residential
neighborhoods by the elimination of
one or more factors which have af-
fected the stability of the neighbour
hood adversely In some cases the
cause is apparent and the cure is
quickly and easily applied. In others,
drastic changes are necessary before
the nelghborhood can be placed on the
market successfully.
In some instances we suggest
changes, such as the amending of deed
restrictions to give property owners
greater protection. In others we pro-
pose the installation of complete public
utilities and sanitary facilities.
Restrictions on Building.
Some neighborhoods are restricted
to structures Of a certain price range,
consistent with the location. topogra-
ply and other factors IN these in
stances we suggest that the consent
of all lot and home owners in the
neighborhood be obtained and that
deed restrictions be changed to allow
the construction of smaller and less
expensive houses, which are appro-
pirate for the neighborhood.
In some cases the layout of the
plat is faulty and we suggest that
the developers change their lot and
street layouts to give the neighbor-
hood a more attractive aspect. This
can be Gone, of course, only in those
tracts in which streets have not been
installed
IN other instances, it is necessary
10 demollsh undesirable structures in
the nelghbcrhood or to make improve
ments to structures which are capable
of repair. Even in such instances we
have found that developers usually are
willing to make the necessary expendi-
lures"
Mott cited the case of a Southern
subdivision, partially developed in
heterogeneous manner. The developer
asked what changes would be neces-
sary to make the neighborhood more
attractive
After a survey the Federal Hous-
Ing AdminiStra ton suggested the pur-
chase and destruction of a number of
garage homes in the neighborhood;
the painting and repair of owner-oc-
eupled houses in the neighborhood, and
the demolition of several undesirable
buildings in the subdivision.
All of the changes suggested were
made. The developer even offered to
carry part of the expense of painting
owner-occupied houses.