Evening star., 1939-05-13
Attack on Urban Blight
Urged al Real Estate
Boards Session
U. S. Housing Program
Failing in Purpose,
Realtors Told
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
ATLANTIC CITY, May ia
constructive attack on urban blight,
program that will provide for re-
habilitation, rebuilding and renewed
usefulness for the near-in urban
sections of our cities, including re-
housing for the population badly
housed there, is clearly one of to-
days major needs, E. L. Ostendorf,
Cleveland, president of the National
Association of Real Estate Boards,
said here yesterday in addressing
the Central Atlantic Regional Con-
ference of the association.
''It is proper primary national
aim that every family should be so
housed that decent family life shall
be possible" Mr.. Ostendorf said.
But the problem is one that calls
for the best mobilization we can
get OF private and public resources
and agencies.
THE present program of the
United States Housing Authority,
set up as one means of attacking
slums and blight, is failing of its
purpose" Mr.. Ostendorf said. ut
is a program of isolated projects.
1t is neither evolving low-cost hous-
ing nor sheltering people of very
small income.
Workable Program Sought.
"The formulation of workable
program through which co-opera-
tive action may successfully be
taken against blight is one of the
central objectives of the current
work of the National Association of
Real Estate Boards. For three years
we have stood ready to help in any
possible way in the development of
a workable program against slums
and blight, and for sound plan for
housing families of low income"
Directors of the association, meet
ing in Chicago on May 6, adopted
as the outline of such suggested
program the following recon-
mendations, made after detailed
study by its Committee on Housing
and Rehabilitation of Blighted
Areas:
l. 1t is recognized that piece-meal
building by individuals in blighted
districts or in slum areas cannot
solve the problem, and that if blight
is to be stopped or cured. large
areas must be replanned, rebuilt
and rehabilitated. 1t is recon-
mended, therefore, that continued
effort be made to develop and seek
enactment of State legislation au-
thorizing the chartering of public
utility building corporations to op-
crate in blighted or slum areas, pri-
marily for the purpose of creating
low-cost housing and with appro-
pirate safeguards for the public in
terest.
Neighborhood Groups Backed.
2. Ways and means are needed
for maintaining established resi-
Dental neighborhoods where condi-
tions are still reasonably good and
assisting in rehabilitation of neigh
borhoods that have only partially
declined through the establishment
of neighborhood associations of
property owners with restricted legal
powers. Michigan House bill No.
349, which authorizes such neigh
borhood improvement associations,
is approved in principle.
3. Inasmuch as there is already
appropriated sum of $500, 900 900
for expenditure by the U. S. H. A.,
while results so far give no indica-
tion that the present type of U. S..
H. A. developments will satisfac-
torily solve either the problem of
slums and blight or the problem of
housing for families of very little
income, 1t is recommended:
(a) That the uneXpended portion
Of the present U. S. H A. fund be