Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-25
Letter of Transmission
Alley Dwelling Authority Reveals General Program
and Technique in Its Message to
Nathan Sfrdus.

income has Cancelled much Of their
cost and because newer dwellings are
more attractive, can and should be
let for lower rentals than the new
dwellings. In other words, the Au-
thority's belief is. not that public
housing shall necessarily provide for
any particular segment of the low
income but that it shall assure decent,
safe and sanitary dwellings for all.
One Of the statistical tables submit
ted herewith indicates the validity of
this belief. showing that rentals have
tended to decline with age Of houses;
$50 and more per month for those
erected In the median year 1920 to
less than $40 for those erected In the
median year 1881.
Data Convincing.
The data herewith submitted in ac-
cordance with the questions in the
United States Housing Authority ap-
plication form are, We believe. con-
vlncing. Assembling and marshaling
this data has been a time-consumil1S
process. but we hope that the task
has now been adequately completed
Some data asked for by United States
Housing Authority representatives cam
not be supplied-for example, a map
of the District showing each parcel
of land and its value Such a map
would be very large. very costly and
take months to make. We have, how
ever, prepared such maps Of the sites,
which also contain requisite data as
to the neighboring squares.
In describing these data we have
used the word adequately" rather
than Satisfactorily" for much of it is
not satisfactory to us. Satisfactory
material for it does not exist. To
secure it, frst-hand survey would be
required. Such a survey has been
proposed and may be undertaken in
the near future Its estimated cost is
more than $4,000, the proposed per-
sonnet exceeds 500. and the time it
will cover after it is organized Is some
six months.
We could neither conduct such
survey ourselves nor, for the purposes
Of this application, await its findings
So we have compiled and marshaled
the material available and have sup
plemented it SO far as practicable by
firSt-hand information and interviews
and by securing from other agencies
data drawn from their files. This,
we believe, presents convincing EVIL
dence, but we are quite conscious Of
its incompleteness.e
Conditions Are Obvious.
In our belief, while legally required,
much OF this data is not essential
to the purposes of the present applica-
ton, conditions are so obvious and
the immediate program is so far with
in the boundaries Of evident need.
But as public housing continues, as
Sums are eliminated and more nearly
adequate provision made for low-rent
housing, it will become increasingly
necessary to know accurately just
what is the situation. Recognizing
this, representatives of the Authority
have advocated and local agencies
have proposed the creation Of q mu-
nicipal statistical agency which would
secure and marshal she required in
formation and keep it constantly up
to date.
Lacking such an agency, occasional
surveys necessarily are made. But not
only Is the sporadic survey costly and
comparatively inefficient, its findings
soon become obsolete. This is par
ticularly true in a city Of the size and
character Of Washington. We there
fore hope that the influence of the
United States Housing Authority may
be exerted to secure the establishment
Of continuing municipal statistical
agencies competent to promptly sup
ply the information that will become
increasingly important not only for
the formulation Of public housing pro-
grams but for the guidance of private
enterprise whose lack Of knowledge
accounts largely for the recurring
cycles Of housing surplus and housing
shortage in the investment held.
In response to our request of June 80
that $l8,148,278 be earmarked, you
promptly earmarked $l5,000,0 900 and
telegraphed that a letter containing
instructions would follow. This letter
we received week later, and then we