Evening star., 1938-07-01
$l5,0DO,OOO IS SET
ASIDE FOR SLUM
CLEARANCE HERE
Amount Earmarked Is
100000 Less Than
Asked for Use of City.
STRAUS INDICATES
D. c. WON'T GET MORE
Low.Rent Housing Projects Are
on Program Submitted to
Officials by Hazen.
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.
Within less than "a hours after re-
ceiving request from the Alley
Dwelling Authority for the earmarki.-s
Of funds, Administrator Nathan oCraus
OF the United States Housing Au-
thority today announced he had set
aside $4,000, 900 for slum reclamation
and low-rent housing in the District
The amount is less than the Sl8,-
148,287 requested and Mr.. Straus said
he did not believe 1t wise to encour-
age the belief that the District would
get any more"
He explained the s15,o00o00 ear
marking was "a liberal amount based
on the population Of Washington"
adding that it was more than the
cities Of comparable size would re-
ceive under the Nationwide housing
program.
The tentative program submitted by
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen as
chairman of the A. D. A. provided for
three slum reclamation projects and
nine low-cost housing developments in
outlying districts. As explained by the
A. D. A. at the time, the program was
planned with view to possible reduc-
tons in the number of projects.
Total Earmarked S6s,e25, 900.
The earmarking for the District was
part Of $68,925, 900 set aside for II
local housing authorities, raising the
total commitments so far to 1927 ,299,-
600 for 1l0 localities. Los Angeles
headed todays list with s25, 900 900,
while Frederick, Md. got $3.50 900.
This impetus sent the U. s. H. A.
program of $500 900, 900 for the Ma.
ton over the halfway mark.
Mr.. Straus said the fact that the
District Of Columbia is joining in the
Nationwide program was one Of three
reasons to make this an outstanding
week in the history of the U. S. H. A.
The other two reasons were decisions
by Pennsylvania and Massachusetts,
courts which allow the Federal hous-
ing program to proceed in those
States without further interruption.
Loan Of 80 Per Cent.
The $15.ooo,ooo contemplated for
expenditure in the District will con.
stitute a loan of 90 per cent Of the
total and the District Commissioners
will have to obtain funds from Con-
gress to put up 10 per cent of the
cost, or $500, 900, If they avail them
selves Of the entire amount
Mr.. Straus said that no time linita-
ton Is provided in law for the payment
Of this 10 per cent.
We can simply charge it I'D to the
District and the Alley Dwelling Au-
thority can pay it back at any time"
he explained.
The amount earmarked today. how.
ever, is not all that is available to the
local authority. Under a law author
izing it to participate in the national
clearance program, the A. D. A.
also Is authorized to borrow 81. 900 900
annually from the Treasury for the
next five years to continue its own in.
dependent work of clearing Washing
tons alleys.
Action Is Immediate.
The request from the local author
lty was placed on Mr. Straus' desk at
noon yesterday. He indicated his
easerness to cooperate by passing i'm.
mediately on the application.
The next step is for the Alley Dwell.
ing Authority to begin conferences and
to submit details of specified projects
with data concerning sites, rentals
and other essentials. The A. D. A.
will be able to utilize the available
services Of the Federal agency.
John Ihlder, A. D. A. executive ON.
Ger, has made careful study of the
situation in Washington and he has
chosen to plan for IL moderate sized
housing projects instead of centering
all efforts on two huge Developments.
The idea back Of this plan, he ex-
planned, Is to get away from the ''in-
stitutiona" type Of project that is
nearly always associated with q project
housing 1000 or 5000 families.
Integral Part Of Community.
I'm planning for such projects" MI.
hlder said. I'VE have tried to keep In
mind the idea Of each project become
ing an integral part Of the community
in which 1t Is located"
He suggested the houses should be
built entirely in relation to the neish.
borhood SO as to blend into the plans
for private construction.
A huge project of some $500 family
dwelling units set apart to itself. he
suggested. would serve also to set spart
the families occupying it. Such prof.
Gets have their own individual play.
grounds for the children, constituting
(see HOUSING. Page A-5.5