Evening star., 1938-04-12
BALTIMORE SLUMS
CONTRACT PUSHED
u. S. H. A. Officials Hope
for Signing by June.
Areas Inspected.
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.


Federal housing officials who have
earmarked sl5,0oo,ooo for a slum
clearance loan to Baltimore we're
hopeful today that actual demolition
Of sub-standard houses will be started
there on at least one site during early
summer.
They returned here last night from
an inspection tour Of seven large slum
areas in the city with assurances from
the local Housing Authority that an
initial loan contract will be signed
with the United States Housing Au-
thorlty not later than June l. Be-
yond that there were no other pre-
dictions.
If the Baltimore officials heed the
advice of Federal Administrator Ma
than Straus they will select as a
starting point slum area on the out
skirts OF the city, preferably one where
there are few houses and land is
cheap. The building of a lew rent
t'oooAAiS EloJCSb VII S'lCll II Sue NOulO
obllgate the city to ier1olish an equal
number of sub-standard houses in
other sections.
1t was understood tndt Baltimore
is prepared to put up any part Of the
sl,500,000 Of the city's contribution to
secure a sl5,0OO00o loan from the
United States Housing Authority. A
conservative estimate of the number
OF sub-standard houses in the CIV of
the type coming within the ciassifica-
ton OF the Housing Act was placed It
$4,000 by former Senator Clarence w
Perkins, secretary directo. of the local
Housing Authority.
Estimate 1000 Units.
He estimated roughly that a SIS
100000 slum clearance program would
enable the city to erect approximately
1000 housing units, but that was ad-
mittedly guess" When land costs
are figured, the number of family
dwellings Baltimore actually will be
able to provide with full utilization of
all earmarked funds is likely to be
considerably less
The visit of Federal officials, headed
by Charles E. Lane, special assistant
to the administrator and Jacob Crane.
acting director of project plans, no
doubt had effective results 1t served
for one thing to spur the Baltimore
Housing Authority to greater efforts
and probably accomplished as much in
severing red tape as month of cor
respondence.
Mr.. Crane, who acted as spokesman
IN the absence of Administrator
Straus. was anxious to pin the Balti-
more group down to an early dead
line for the initial contract. Wash
ington would like to see a contract
signed by May l, he told Mayor
Howard W. Jackson. who was host
at luncheon conference at the
Southern Hotel
The best that the local Housing Au-
thority could do was to promise con-
tract sometime between that date and
June l.
Baltimore Not Tagging.
Baltimore has not Jagged behind in
getting its slum clearance program in
shape. As pointed out by Chairman
James r. Edmunds, of the 118 housing
authorities created since November l
Baltimore is way up among the top in
getting started
Mayor Jackson. who welcomed the
group of Federal officials, visualized the
housing program as a definite factor
IN meeting the unemployment situa-
tlon which is acute in Baltimore. as
in other large industrial centers
1t is not necessary for the Baltimore
Housing Authority to acquire a site
before signing loan contract. That
was made clear by the Washington Of
flcials The contract involves pre-
llmlnary plans estimated costs and the
tentative arrangements for the city
contributing 10 per cent of the cost
Of the project
The Federal officials were taken on
a tour of the tentative sites early on
their arrival. These sites include areas
ranging from 4 to ID acres, two areas
in Northeast Baltimore, two in the
northwest and the others in the north
ern, southern and southwestern parts
OF the city. Secrecy was maintained so
as to avoid possible land speculations.
Straus Sees Jackson.
Mr.. Straus had fully intended to
make day of it in Baltimore and
came down from New York City for
that purpose by train Before his ar
rival, however. he was summoned to
the White House for 2 o'clock con-
ference in the afternoon Mayor
jackson met him at the Baltimore sta
ton, and they conferred for a few
minutes. He made it emphatically
clear he desired Baltimore to take
quick advantage of the Federal offer.
Baltimore slum dwellers are paving
on an average of s425 per room per
month without toilet or ADEQUATE
water facilities, Mr.. Perkins explained.
The objective of the local Housing
Authority, therefore, is to bring rents
TO or below that general average.
In addition to Chairman Edmunds.
other members of the Housing Au-
thority are George M. Smith. George
c. Manz, Samuel H. Hoffberger.