The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1939-11-10

Agreement SigG :,
By City With U. S.
Housing Authority

The City Council on Mon
day signed a cooperation
agreement with the Housing
Authority of the City of Seat
tie, whereby each agreed to
points vital to the successful
operation of the proposed low
rent Yesler Hill housing prof.
ect.
The City agreed ~ to
eliminate by d e m o liti o n,
abatement, effective closing,
or by compulsory repair or
Improvement, a number of un-
safe or insanitary dwelling
units equal to the number or new
homes to be built minus the num-
Der of units demolished on the
site of the Authority. The Hous-
ing Authority will demolish about
470 units, leaving 230 others for
the City to eliminate elsewhere.
The City also agreed (2) not to
levy, impose or charge any taxes,
special assessments, service fees,
charges or tolls against the prof.
ect; CD to furnish the usual mu-
nicipal services and facilities which
are or may be furnished free to
other dwellings and inhabitants In
the city, including but not limited
to fire, police and health protec-
ton and services, street mainten-
ance and repair, garbage. trash
and ash COLLECTION and disposal,
street lighting on public streets
within and project; and "a to
vacate any streets and alleys with
in the project or adjacent thereto
as may be necessary in the devel-
opment of the project. At the
same time, the City Council passed
a motion approving the Yesler Hill
project. The Agreement applies.
however, to any projects proposed
by tie Authority, the sites pend
ing approval by the Council.
The Authority, in turn, agreed
az to purchase all electric cur
rent used within the project from
the City, at rates fixed by ordin-
ance of July 81, 1899; (2) to con-
struct all improvements in public
streets within the project and on
streets abutting the project, at
its own expense; and (3) to defend
at its own cost and expense any
action or proceeding at law which
may be brought against the City,
arising out of any act Of the Au-
thority.
Only one more step remains to
be taken before the housing pro-
gram begins. This is approval of
the local Authority's application
for financial assistance, now pend
ing before the United States Hous-
ing Authority, Federal corpora
ton, in Washington, D. c. When
the 100000 application is APP
proved, and signed by President
Roosevelt, acquisition of the Yes
Ter Hill area will begin, paving
the way for the rehousing of 100
low-income Seattle families-up-
wards of 5000 persons-now living
In substandard dwellings in va
rious parts of the city.
Payments to site property own
ers will be made by the Authority,
and families now on the site will
be given assistance in moving. On
ly "a of the sites 470 dwelling
units, an official survey has re-
vealed, are occupied by their own
ers. Twenty-eight per cent of the
site is tax-title property, and tax
delinquency is very high. Seattle's
average tax delinquency is 2.7 per
cent; on Yesler Hill is is 40 per
cent-$11, 9s1.0o delinquent. This
sum will be paid to the City by the
Authority upon acquisition of the
site.
Construction of the new homes
to be contained in SO frame build
ings-is not expected to begin for