The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-08-31

meager incomes. It aLSo recoEnlAeS the fact that adequate homes for our citizens in the low income brackets will not and cannot be built by private enterprise and II these citizens are to be housed in better living quarters, such hous- ing movement must be assisted by our national government.
 Aid Needed
 In other words, in this day and age, when we realize that the social problems of any given minority must be the concern of the country as a whole, the problem of furnishing livable homes for those of our citi- 2ens who are unable, through their own earning power to provide them- selves with such homes, has become a national problem,
 l. In a nutshell, the Wagner Steagall Bill provides decent hous- ing for families of lowest income and for slum clearance.
 2. It creates a permanent United States Housing Authority within the Department of the Interior,
 3, It stipulates that all homes built by the Authority are strictly limited to lowest income families which are not being adequately housed by private building and whose income Is less than five times the rent including utilities or six times for families rthree or more children.
 Authority Act
 4, It provides that loans may be made to local public housing agen- cies to finance low rent housing projects constructed by them. If the application of the local author ity is for a loan to construct houses together with an annual subsidy to reduce rents, the loan will be lim- tied to 90 per cent of the cost of the project and will bear interest at the cost of the money to the gov ernment plus l-2 of 1 per cent and must be repaid In not more than 60 years, Where no annual subsidy 70 reduce rent Is asked, the local Au- thority may apply for 6 100 per cent loan at a similar rate of interest and terms. Of course, this means that no municipal contribution Is required where no annual subsidy to reduce rent Is asked.
 5, Slum clearance may be carried out without engaging in housing provided 1t does not force people who are de-housed out of shelter or Into higher rent
 Sl,0OO Per Room
 G. The cost of dwellings by the local authorities Is limited to $l,0o0 per room and $4,o00 per unit in cities of the size of Waterbury. This IS exclusive of the cost of the land,
 2. No state can receive more than 10 per cent of the funds provided, These funds are $l0o,000,000 at once; $2o0,0o0,00o after July l, 1888; $20o,0o0,o0o after July 1, 1889.
 8, In the case of annual grants made for the purpose of achieving low rents, the local government must contribute 20 per cent of the con- bkAbubiOAl GAtAiGk Al Stt0lA VI vesH missions or exemptions.
 9. In the case of capital grants, which are limited to 25 per cent of the cost Of the project, plus aa additional IS per cent which the president may allocate from relief funds for labor, the local govern ment must contribute 20 per cent of the project cost either in cash, land or tax remissions or exemptions.
 This brings up to the question of how we organize our local Housing Authority SO that 1t will have a legal status and be in a position 10 take advantage of the provisions Uf the Wagner -Steagall Act.
 City to Benefit
 Fortunately 1t Is possible for Wa. terbury to benefit as the last gen. eral assembly in Connecticut had the foresight to pass an act authorizing the creation of Housing Authorities In any municipality or this state This act provides that if the gov- erning body which in our case !s the Board of Aldermen, find that there is a shortage of safe or sani- tary dwelling accommodations for families of low income, at rentals they can afford, they shall adopt a resolution declaring that such a condition exists and shall notify the mayor of such adoption. Upon receiving such notice the mayor shall appoint five persons as Com- missioners of the Authority whc shall be designated to serve one two, three, four and five years re- spectively. The mayor appoints one of the commissioners as chairman Of the Authority and the commission employs technical experts as needed The five commissioners Of the Housing Authority serve without pay, they can hold no municipal office, neither can they have any interest, direct or indirect in any property inc cluded or planne din any housing project or in any contract or pro. posed contract for materials or services.
 Public Body
 The Housing Authority is a public body corporate, having all the pow CTS necessary to carry out the pro- visions Of the act. It Is impossible to enumerate these in the short time at my disposal but the right to acquire property by the exercise of the power Of eminent domain; the authority to demoliSh Slums, to acquire, lease and operate housing projects and to provide for the con. Struction, reconstruction improve nent, alteration or repair of any housing project; the power to issue bonds and provisions for the form and sale Of bonds are all fully GOV. cred in the Housing Authority Act.
 Those who have studied the queS-