Evening star., 1939-04-09
HOUSING
Continued From Paee B-lD

House Appropriations Subcommittee,
the A. D. A. will be almost entirely
dependent on the United States
agency for all its future operations.
its own individual program of slum
reclamation, for which it was Gre
ated by Congress, would have to be
discarded.
When the A. D. A. receives the
full amount of Sl5,000,000 from the
U. S. H. A. it will be obligated to
demolish and repair about 5000
houses in the District that are unfit
in their present condition to be
occupied as homes. That is an ex-
pense that must be borne by the
local community and the demolition
may be accomplished by condemna-
ton or purchase. The elimination
of slum dwellings may be deferred
in localities where, in the discretion
of the U. S. H. A. administrator
an acute shortage exists. But even
then, the slum elimination must be
accomplished as soon as this short
age is relieved.
Areas Beyond Reach.
With ample funds of its own avail
able, the Alley Dwelling Authority
could buy up certain densely
populated areas, such as Naylor
court in the Northwest, which is now
outside its reach by reason of the
1.50 limitation. Some of the cheap
lodging houses which the agency de-
sires also to demolish are now be-
yond its reach. The result is that
the worst slum areas in the heart
of the city cannot be touched. AS
in the case of two of the projects
for which loans were requested yes
terday, the condition imposes a Sc
lection of fringes rather than
crowded centers
These difficulties not only will slow
UP the District program. but may
put in its path some unsurmountable
obstacles. For this reason propo-
nents of housing in Congress are
trying to restore at least the S5000G0
eliminated in the Senate. It will
not be sufficient, but it will help
From its own small balance and eX-
pected rental revenues on July next
the A. D. A. can count on consid-
erably less than 100000.
The situation facing the u S. H.
A. is even more critical. Compelled
to negotiate and cooperate with
housing authorities throughout the
country. Its own administrative ap-
preparation has been reduced by
points of order from S450O,0OO as
recommended by the House Appro-
priation Committee to about S2,OO0,-
600. If the reduction is allowed to
stand, the only alternative is to
reduce the personnel staff of about
1900 employees by about $50 or 7O0
Language Is Deleted.
The reduction of about S2,5OO. 900
In administrative funds was not
brought about by direct slash, but
by an equally effective method of
deleting language in legislative Sec
tions that has exactly the same ef-
feet. The sections are contained
IN the Interior Department supply
bill, which is now before the SEN
ate committee.
Unless the language is restored,
the U. S. H. A. will be unable to
pay the expense of construction
advisers on the sites of projects in
addition to Gripping its administra-
tive staff to point that it would be
unable to function satisfactorily for
the national program as a whole.
Senator Robert F. Wagner of New
York, father of the United States
Housing Act, and other friends in
the Senate are determined to put
up stiff fight to restore the full
amount of operating revenues pro-
vided In the bill.
The Districts program. as we'll
as others, would feel the effect of
the loss in revenues because of the
lack of proper cooperation that
ero,,1d reel11t