The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-15

Hearing on housing held at Wilby high school auditorium last night developed into controversy by pro- ponentS of the million dollar low cost housing project and opponents of the scheme whether the program would serve those for whom it orig mally was intended, the low income group.
 Another factor was the considera- tion of what "slums" in Waterbury could be eliminated as required by the government and William M Harris, chairman of the Waterbury Housing authority remarked that mo one could defend the slunls in Waterbury on such streets as Chat field avenue, Pond street, Railroad Hill street." and other sections.
 Rev. Dr. John N. Lewis, rector of St. Johns Episcopal church and member of the Housing authority, urged that petty disputes be avoid ed and asked those opposed to the project to state their objections. Summary
 These, in summarized form, ap- peared to be that the project pro- viding $20-monthly units on the land donated by the Chase family on Chase avenue would not reach those the persons in the "slums";; {; that WPA workers might not live in the units because they could not qualify as citizens having steady employment" that similar projects in other places had failed; that lo- cal real estate men would be glad to rent apartments and houses at $4 per month per room if taxes were abated; that many owners of property have WPA tenants who have lived in the establishments for as much as three years without pay ing rent.
 On the other hand, Phillip Brain ard, labor organizer for the Wa terbury Brass Workers Union and the International Mine Workers and Shelter Workers Union, c. l. O., declared:
 Beware of the day when the people who say so little and earn so little won't take it any longer"
 Purpose of the meeting, as ex- plained by the Housing Authority, was for explanation of the project by Ernest M. Culligan, representing the United States Housing admin istration. who said that other cities where low-cost housing and slum- clearance projects have been eStab- lished show that police, health and fire COcfc horyo danliY1oj r,,l,ilo e,,oL costs exceeded the amount of tax es formerly paid in the slum areas. He indicated that rent for the four or five-room apartments, of two or three-family houses on Chase ave- nue would be not more than $5 per room or $20 monthly for a four room apartment.
 Slum Clearance
 For the first time last night the fact that the city must provide slum clearance equivalent to the low cost housing units was stressed. The government would pay 90 per cent of cost Of the housing program, the city to sell bonds to raise the other ten per cent. The taxes OH the buildings would be abated, un- der the plan, but Attorney Frederic c. Smedley of the authority, said that the corporation will make a contract with the city to pay the same tax now laid on the property, regular rates for water and sewers.
 John J. Driscoll, executive secre- tary of the Waterbury Brass Work CTS union, and member of the auth ority, accused the aldermen, req! estate men and bankers of not un- derstanding the project which, he said, would not compete with legi- innate real estate business. He said that it has not been given enough publicity, adding:
 Apparently. they can't make a front-page story out of housing. You have to be buffon like Con- gressman Dies and smear the char acter of men in the Presidents cabinet to get on the front page."
 George M. Allerton, real estate man, asked MT. Culligan about the slun clearance aspect of the project