Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-09
Federal Officials See
Agreement Possible
On D. T.. HOUSING
Comment Is Withheld
On A. D. A. Proposal
For Joint Project

With an apparent deadlock again
threatening the local low-rent hous-
ing program, Federal officials indi-
Gated today they do not believe the
Alley Dwelling Authority and United
States Housing Authority are so
much at variance as to prevent
them from reaching working
agreement on suitable projects for
Washington.
Lacking an opportunity to ex-
anime the novel proposal submitted
by the A. D. A. for s2079, 900 dual
project to test the relative merits of
minimum standards set by the two
agencies, Administrator Nathan
Straus withheld official comment for
the time being. The loan applica-
ton containing the tentative details
of the plans had not reached his
desk.
Officials said the application
would be turned over to the review
ing board in the regular order and
suggested that its rejection or &C
ceptance would be an official answer
as in the case of any other proposal.
This is the fourth loan application
made by the A. D. A., which has
practically exhausted its own indie
pendent funds. A recent appGca-
ton is still before the reviewers.
Sees Door Still Open.
Albert C. Shire, nationally known
housing consultant who has been
serving in that capacity for the U.
S. H. A. in connection with local
housing matters, was one of the
officials who said he believed the
door is still open to an agreement.
He added that the A. D. A. and the
officials at the District Building
were in his opinion just as much
responsible for delays in working
out the program as the Federal
agency.
The problem has been a particu-
larry hard one for John Ihlder,
executive officer of the A. D. A., he
said, because the local agency is
apparently understaffed. Most of
the newly-created housing authori-
ties have only their U. S. H. A.
projects to consider but the Wash
lngton agency has problems con-
corning its own alley housing to
handle at the same time, he ex-
planned. Il have frequently sug-
gested to the Commissioners that it
is not adequately stated to handle
such a big problem involved in the
local program" he said. That no
doubt is handicap"
Denies Delay on Doors.
Referring to the long conference
on the omission of closet doors men
toned by Mr.. Ihlder yesterday, the
Federal consultant asserted that the
U. S. H. A. had yielded on that point
and that closet doors are provided
for in the Ridge road project now
under contract.
I'VE simple took the stand that
savings on closet doors were worth
while" Mr.. Shire said. 1.-THE ques-
ton did not cause single days de-
lay"
Because of the need of the Federal
agency in planning schedules ahead
when it is dealing with so many
local agencies, Mr.. Shire said it is
customary to require tentative
schedules of operations, such as the
opening of bids and the start of con-
syuction. Although the preliminary
plans and working drawings for the
Navy place and Alabama avenue
projects were approved long ago, he
pointed out, the desired schedules
are still lacking. There was also an
unreasonable delay, he believed, in
a building permit being cleared by
District government officials for the
Ridge road project.
The Alley Dwelling Authority in
its statement yesterday made no
charge that the Federal agency was
holding up the local program al
though its proposal for a "test"
project was made for the reason
that the technical men of the two
agencies have not been able to agree
on the probable difference in costs
between plans submitted. 1t is prob
ably the first plan of this kind
proposed to Federal agency.