Evening star., 1941-05-08
Rent Control Hearinq
Receives Apology
From Civic Leader
Schools Survey Supplied
information 50 Lived
In One House, Harris Says

E. F. Harris, vice president Of
the Federation of Civic Associations
the clearing house of colored
civic thought here-today publicly
apologized to House subcommittee
on the District rent control bill for
erroneous information he gave the
group yesterday to the effect that
SO persons were living in a five-room
house on Virginia avenue S.W.
An investigation made by Rep
resentative D'Alesandro, Democrat
of Maryland, at the direction OF the
subcommittee showed only five occu-
pants, including an infant.
Mr.. Harris explained his state
ment was based on information IN
a report, which he did not verify,
on a housing survey made by pupils
of the Randall Junior High School.
IhIder Denies Charges.
John Ihlder. executive officer Of
the District Alley Dwelling Author
ity. later took the witness stand to
deny charges made yesterday by Mr..
Harris that adequate provision had
not been made to shelter colored
persons whose homes were razed in
the authority's slum clearance pro-
gram.
On the contrary. Mr.. Ihlder
pointed out, the authority is pro-
viding more new homes than the
standard dwellings it has de-
demolished. He cited figures show
ing that at the present time the
authority has completed 9l5 dwell
ings which are occupied, and has in
the course of construction and
scheduled for completion this sum-
mer 1876 dwellings. In addition, he
declared, construction will soon be-
gin on 460 more dwellings.
so before the end of the year."
Mr.. Ihlder said, I'VE expect to have
3.171 dwellings. We have, mean
while. demolished 933 substandard
dwellings.
The law requires and our pro-
gram contemplates that there shall
be demolished unfit dwellings ap-
proximately equal in number to the
present time we are putting empha-
sis on new construction because of
the prevailing shortage of low-;ent
housing. When the shortage has
been overcome, We shall change the
emphasis to slum reclamation"
Mr.. Ihlder explained that large
majority of the Authority's dwell
ings have been and will be occu-
pied by colored persons. This, he
said, is because these persons con-
stitute large majority of the low
income population and therefore
tend to occupy the poorest dwell
ings.
IF any one" declared Mr.. Ihlder,
will give us the names and ad-
dresses of families who have been
displaced as a result of demolitions,
either ours or those of other Fed
eral agencies, and who are now
living under conditions of increased
overcrowding, we shall be sincerely
appreciative. For we want the
facts"
Introduces Mother of 13.
Mr.. Harris introduced Mrs. Ada
Matthews, colored, the mother of
13 children, who said she had been
unable to find proper housing since
her former home was razed by the
A. D. A. Mr.. Ihlder told the sub
committee family with 13 children
requires a large house and that
the authority does not have the
funds to construct large dwelling
units
This is a problem" he added.
Sidney r. KatZ, secretary treas
urer of the Maryland-District of
Columbia Industrial Union Council
&C. I. o. indorseo the rent-control
pill. This proposed legislation is
needed Immediately, he said, to
check a tendency toward higher
rents before it becomes common
practice"
Mr.. Katz also said there is hous-
ing shortage in nearby Maryland
and Virginia as we'll as in the Dis
| trict
! IF rents in Washington can be
kept down by passage of the rent
control BILL" he declared, land
lords in nearby sections of Mary
land and Virginia will be deferred
from raising rents. There is moral
otliga ton upon Congress to pass this
bill"