Evening star., 1939-06-29

NOOSeNeIt 1etS FJeo
From Group Headed by
Rev. Anson Stokes
The Washington Housing Associa-
ton, one of the pioneers in the
movement for rehousing low-income
families, has petitioned President
Roosevelt and Congress to initiate
long-range study by non-partisan
commission for the purpose of for
mulating a sound and adequate
permanent national housing policy.
The need for adequate housing is
still so great, the amount of money
involved to bring about satisfactory
results is so large, and the problem
is so complicated, that there is a
vital need for careful, comprehen-
sive, non-partisan study of the
whole situation" the Rev. Anson
Phelps Stokes, president of the as
sociation, said yesterday in a state
ment.
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt is hon.
orary president of the association,
which has been influential in the
work OF retaining the alleys in
Washington and is composed of
prominent citizens who have deep
social interest in housing. The as
sociation was said to feel that the
time is opportune to press for a
Nationwide study of all interlock-
ing housing problems. 1t proposes
that the study be completed in time
for the proposed commission to re-
port January l, 1941.
Features of Act Questioned.
At the same time, the association
went on record at it's recent board
meeting in support of the Senate
amendments increasing the loan au-
thorizations of the United States
Housing Authority to 1900, 900 900.
1t questioned. however, certain fea-
lures of the Housing Act and its in
depreciation by the U. S. H. A. as a
basis for a permanent housing poll
| cy, particularly the subsidy policy
for rental reductions and the lack
of constructive program for slum
reclamation"
The amendments are now before
the House Banking and Currency
! Committee. Resolutions adopted by
the association were forwarded to
Chairman Henry B. Steagall, Demo-
crat, of Alabama.
The proposed national study of
housing, with special reference to
the need of loW-income groups ana
families whose incomes are now out
side the range of the U. S. H. A. pro-
gram, would be made by commits
DR.. Stokes pointed out that the eX-
perience in Europe has clearly dem
onstrated the Importance of such a
study as the best method of attack
ing national, social and economic
problems. The proposal is not to be
confused, it was said, with the plan
embodied in the Wagner bill, which
provides for the inclusion of hous-
ing QUESTIONABLE in taking the 1910
| census.
Most of the important social leg
islation in England and Sweden, Dr.
Stokes said, has been due to the
creation of national commissions
made up of eminent and impartial
citizens qualified for the work.
Good Beginning.
THE Federal Government has
made a good beginning in recent
years through the United States
Housing Authority, the Federal
Housing Administration, the Federal
Home Loan Bank Board, the Farm
Security Administration and other
agencies, and has secured a great
deal of State and local cooperation"
DR.. Stokes said. But the many prob
lens involved require clarification
and more detailed study, it was
pointed out, before permanent pol
icy could be established effectively.
Included in the study, he suggest
ed, should be the best methods of
providing for tenants in the mo
mans land" of housing for the
groups whose incomes range from
about $3.50 to $4,000 annually.
These are mot now being reached
adequately either by new public or
private housing" he said
Our Washington Housing Associ-
alton is firmly convinced that a
sound and adequate housing policy
for the United States cannot be de-
veloped without thorough and i'm
partial study of these problems, and
it has urged the President to ap-
point National Housing Commits
sion to develop the necessary long
range plans"
The commission would conduct
public hearings for the housing spe-
cialists of the Government and of
private agencies. Representatives OF
the building industry, organized Ia
Dor, real estate, banking, public
health, social welfare agencies and
other such groups, he pointed out,
should be invited to present testi-
mony.
The question of subsidies one that
is still open to wide dispute after
nearly two years of theorizing, also
would be included in the study, as
well as methods of co-ordinating
work of the various governmental
agencies and the relative RESPONSE
bilities of Federal, State and local
housing agencies.