Evening star., 1938-09-28
REALTY BLIGHT
CHECK LAUNCHED
Federal Agencies to Join
in Program to Guard
Property Values.

To protect "sound'' residential areas
from the blight" Of encroachine de-
probation and threat Of slums, sew
eral agencies Of the Federal Govern
ment today launched 4 program,
starting in Baltimore, to help prevent
deterioration Of property values
throughout the Nation.
Announcement Of the program was
made in Baltimore and Washington
as an area Of about 50 square blocks
in Baltimore known Is the Waverly
district, containing many "hish prop
erty values" was picked for the first
experiment. Such . program, 1t was
pointed out, would help to protect the
investment Of the "older inhabitants"
Of city.
Agencies of the Government par
ticipating include the Home Owners'
Loan Corp, the Works Progress Ad-
ministration, the United States Hous-
ing Authority and others.
1,sse Homes to BE Surveyed.
As explained in = statement from
the Federal Home Loan Bank Board,
whose giant subsidiary, the H. o. L. c.,
Is participating, the program u to be
launched with . survey Of . district
embracing about 1000 homes In about
so square blocks to Ascertain exactly
what u necessary to fortify and secure
residential values in that area, and
provide pattern which can be applied
to communities throughout the coun-
try"
Preliminary arrangements have been
completed. The Baltimore Housing
Authorities, with counsel Of onicials
OF the H. o. L. c., which owns or holds
mortgages on . number of properties
IN the district, plans to apply to the
Works Progress Administration for
$25. 900. the cost Of the preliminary
survey. Ofncials already have indi-
Gated such = program is within the
scope Of w. P. AS operations.
Whether such survey may be ex-
tended to the National Capital was not
indicated today. But it was definitely
indicated that the program likely
would be extended throughout the
country. A united front of individual
home owners, real estate operators
and home financing institutions IS to
be developed, backed by the Federal
agencies, it was explained.
Appraisal to Be Made.
The survey itself would embrace an
appraisal Of every home as to present
value, what 1t would cost to bring
each property up to the highest feas-
ible standards, and what the resulting
benefits would be to the home owner.
This Is based on the assumption that
the H. o. L. c. would benefit by in
creased value Of the properties it
owns, just Is would every private
home owner; that mortgage COM
panies would be making their mort
cages more secure and find an outlet
for funds now idle; that the city
would be rewarded for improvements
by sounder tax values and the elm
ination Of future slunas.
"Slum-clearance programs deserve
every support" declared Charles A.
Jones, general manager Of the H. o.
L. c. But the Nation. now awake TO
the necessity Of slum clearance, has
been delinquent in protecting good
neighborhoods from the threat Of
slums. We helped initiate the Balti-
more program and will help carry it
through"
Fred w. Catlett. member of the
F. H. L. B. B., explained the program
In an address prepared for the Amer
ican Federation of Housing Authors
ties, whose conference here was ad-
journed Unexpectedly last night on
account of demand for housing ex-
perts in the New England flood areas,
Downtown Areas Deserted.
Better housing projects break up
slums," he explained In his address
made public Is 4 statement, but not
until fine homes have been decayed
and ruined and many thousands Of
dollars in losses have been suffered.
The progress of this blight can be OBJ
served in most Of our cities.
Home owners with expanding in
comes and growing families are con-
tinually deserting old, established
neighborhoods and moving farther
and farther from the downtown busi-
mes areas. The older inhabitants are
replaced by those living on 4 lower
economic scale. Rents decrease, values
fall and houses are allowed to de-
teriorate because the income will not
support proper expenditures for re-
pair"
1T is not my purpose to advocate
the perpetuation or the attempted re-
juvenation Of those neighborhood areas
whose present physical structure Is OBJ
solete and UNIT for normal residential
use. am concerned here primarily
with those housing areas which have
not descended to slum conditions but
which show evidence Of depreciation
below the level of their normal use and
purpose"
Meantime Nathan Straus, admins.
traitor Of the United, States Housing
Authority, planned to address the U.
S. H. A. Lodge No. 476 Of the American
Federation of Government Employees in
the Interior Building late this after
noon His subject il "Reclaiminx
American .Slums."
TWO LOSE FEE SUIT