Evening star., 1942-01-18
[32-MiIIion Rehabilitation Planned for Southwest
CONTINUED From First Page)

problem, such a program would sup
ply number of valuable by-products.
It would eliminate what Is perhaps
the citys largest slum area, one
that is within sight OF the Capitol,
and assure all the attendant bene-
fits to the city which accompany
such an elimination: provide bal
ance to the Capital; contribute a
great saving of money and time
in supplying needed housing, and
conserve critical materials badly
needed elsewhere in the war effort.
H. o. L. C. Official Drew Plan.
The reconstruction plan was pre-
pared in great detail by Arthur
Goodwillie, director of Conservation
Service, Home Owners Loan Corp,
and submitted as a memorandum
to the Federal Home Loan Bank
Board. 1t is entitled, The Rehabili-
tation of Southwest Washington as
a War Housing Measure" Mr..
Goodwillie was assisted by the
Alley Dwelling Authority; District
Commissioners, Howard University,
Washington Housing Association
and number of Government
agencies.
Special action by Congress would
be needed to effectuate the program,
it was pointed out, since the Lam
ham Defense Housing Act, which
governs all new public housing,
makes small provision for workers
in Washington. This reconstruction
program would not be typical war
housing, though its sponsors are
hopeful that a new housing bill ex-
pected in Congress will provide funds
for it. Similar reconstruction work
could be carried out in nearly every
large defense area. In fact, arrange
ments are being made for surveys
to determine the feasibility Of such
projects in other defense cities,
where there is a great shortage of
adequate housing.
Pointing out that most of the
present housing in the Southwest is
substandard, much of it consisting
of insanitary alley dwellings, the
Goodwillie report states that it could
be converted into acceptable defense
housing at so to 60 per cent of the
cost of newly constructed projects.
The report estimates that go per
cent more housing units would be
created in the area. Resident popu-
lation of Southwest Washington
roughly Is 27,0OO persons. Thus,
under the reconstruction plan bad.
needed housing for nearly $4,000
additional persons would be created.
Most Convenient Section.
The Southwest is described as the
most conveniently located residen-
tial section of the Capital, with 90
$50 Government workers employed
adjacent to it. Mr.. Goodwillie states
the most distant building in which
any of these workers are engaged is
within 10 city blocks of the 85-block
Southwest section
In addition to furnishing costs.
the report shows the plan as good
investment for the Government
from a monetary angle. 1t says that
housing in the project could be sup
piled for $3.50 to $3.50 a room and
the investment amortized on self
paying basis within 40-year period.
Reconstruction of the area would
call for modernizatiOn of structur-
ally sound houses on the perimeter
or outside of the blocks, and con-
struction of three-story apartments
on the interior where alley dwellings
now exist in many. A large amount
of play and recreational space would !
be provided in each block. The new |
would have access to the |
streets by walks and courts. Un-
sound buildings on the outside of !
blocks would be replaced by new
houses. Projects of the Alley Dwell
ing Authority or the few new pri-
vately- built structures in the section
would be -paSsed.s
The project to be successful would
have to be carried out by the Gov
ernment, as acquisition of sites by
condemnation is essential to speedy
completion Of the program. The
report states the Government should
acquire and reconstruct the area
and operate the completed project
at least during the earlier stages.
1t would subsequently be turned
over to private investors, mutual
ownership groups. home financing
agencies and redevelopment cor
porations for management and cost
amortization.
Section Already Serviced.
Since Southwest Washington is
already served by streets and all
public utilities, the reconstruction
project also would represent a great
saving of critical materials which
would be used in servicing new
development built outside the city.
The program also would obviate the
need of additional transportation
facilities and do much to alleviate
the traffic problem All this saving
is in addition to the large quantity
of building materials which such a
reconstruction naturally would con-
serve.
Accurate data On the number OF
defense workers already living IN
the Southwest could not be OBJ
tanned. In one colored area, 1t was
found, there is one defense worker
to every third family. The number
of defense workers and employment
in general is increasing in the area
as the Governments great war pro-
gram unfolds. Mr.. Goodwillie found
a tendency to move out of the area
to better housing where the family
income is increased. This move
ment not only accentuates the use
lessness of existing Southwest
Washington as an area for housing
workers, but also increases the de-
mand and load being carried by
more desirable sections.
The nine-block sample" area
studied by Mr.. Goodwillie is bounded
on the east and west by Delaware
avenue and Fourth street, and on
the north and south by E and I
streets. BY combining the rehabi]i-
tation of old residential buildings
with the construction of new. it was
found the number Of rooms would
be increased from 2.092 to 3.276. The
number of rooms in the area suit
able for war workers, however, would