Evening star., 1938-07-12
PRIVATE FIRMS
ARE INVITED TO
CLEAN UP SLUMS
IhIder Asks Cooperation to
Replace Decadent Areas
in Capital.
GOVERNMENT PROJECTS
MORE COSTLY, HE SAYS
Expresses Doubt Federal Agency
Can Successfully Reach Goal
Of 50 Per Room.

VI @E xeT AOOM.
Explaining that Government must
. take over what private enterprise is
Abandoning" John Ihlder, executive
ofiicer of the Alley Dwelling Authority,
yesterday afternoon invited co-opera-
ton Of private builders in replacing
decadent city areas and providing an
adequate supply Of good housing for
families within the lowest income
groups.
There was general agreement among
the members of the Washington Build
ing Congress, in session at the La
Fayette Hotel, on the need for the
Government to engage in low-cost
housing. Discussion of problems in
Washington followed a talk by Mr.
Ihlder on housing policy.
During the discussion q member
arose to claim that private enterprise
could build as well and as cheaply as
the Government. and in reply Mr..
Ihlder pointed to the experiences of
the Alley Dwelling Authority in ex-
planning that in fact it was possible for
private enterprise to build at less cost.
It was at the end Of this explanation
that Mr. Ihlder summarized: IF you
can build good houses cheaper and
run us out Of business, say go to it.
Not Intended IS Challenge.
His remark was not intended as a
challenge to private enterprise but
more as an invitation.
As Mr.. Ihlder has contended in
numerous public addresses on the
matter OF housing, he said yesterday
that in entering the field in WASH
. ington the Government will actually
stimulate private enterprise, will pro-
vide additional employment by doing
work that otherwise will not be done
The housing program for which the
A. D. A. Is now laying the ground
work also will serve to revive dead
property" and 80 ease community
financial burdens"
Private enterprise can build cheaper
than the A. D. A., he explained. be-
cause the interest of the private
builder ceases after he sells a house,
and the Government, on the other
hand. Is held responsible for 40 to
SO years.
The A. D. A. has only two advan-
tages over private builders, he said,
one enabling 1t to obtain money at
the low rate Of per cent interest
and the other being the power of
condemnation.
Factors offsetting these advantages,
he pointed out, are the high standard
Of housing which the Government
must maintain and the high pre-
vailing scale of wages which it cannot
. avoid paying.
Tenant Rules Are Strict.
One of the members who said he
was real estate man" complained
tnat the A. D. A. was getting the
"cream of the crop" for its tenants,
while private builders of low-cost
houses and apartments had to be
content with "the poorest elements"
The rules Of the A. D. A. with re-
spect to Its tenants are very strict
Only good housekeepers are chosen
in the first place and tenant Is re-
quired to keep the house or apartment
In good order. A second requirement
is for = tenant to have good control
OF the children in the family These
factors tend not only to make for good
tenants but also serve to make them
good neighhors.
Mr.. Ihdler at one time during the
discussion expressed his opinion that
the modern conveniences" such as re-
frgeration on which private builders
lay so much stress are negligible fac
tors in good and permanent housing.
He claimed that these so-called
modern conveniences" soon become
outdated.
These, in comparison with good
housing are non-important," he said.
'"The essentials Of good housing, in my
mind. are privacy, light and air and
sanitation"
Doubts Goal Of 81 Per Room.
Mr.. Ihlder expressed his doubt that
the Government can successfully reach
its goal Of 81 per room per month as
the average minimum rent for housing,
claiming the expense would be too
burdensome.
Referring to the future aims of the
A. D. A. in Washington, he said the
amendment permitting the agency to
build on vacant land will probably pro-
vide cheaper houses. The lowest rent
which the A. D. A. now maintains is
1925 per room per month, he said, and
yet this rent is outside the means of
many families unless they are given
relief assistance and employment.
Declaring 1t Is impossible to build
houses cheap enough for the lowest
income families to rent. Mr.. Ihlder
concluded: What I would like to
see In Washington is low cost housing
with aid for tenants"
Some Of the present tenants of the
A. D. A.. he pointed out, are on public
relief rolls
Mr.. Ihlder also turned thumbs
down" on the so-called three and
four family fiats as uneconomical.
Those who are looking forward to
the future Of Washington are not en-
thusiastic over the three and four
family homes" he said. "One family
houses or large building where the
overhead Of janitor service and up-
keep can be carried by many tenants
are more desirable"
Compelled<o Enter Fields.
Government has been compelled to
enter the housing field. he claimed,
because under private enterprise
alone We accumulate slums and novels
and shacks which are ruinous drain
upon the community's resources.
Here in Washington we have one
small area that costs the city an
nually half q million dollars more
for essential services than it returns
in taxes"
After nearly century and a half
Of private enterprise alone in WASH