Evening star., 1942-12-09
FPHA Plans 10 Create
Community Facilities
In Housing Agencies
Public Housing Chief
Terms Nursery Schools
One of Prime Needs
BY SUSAN h. ANTHONY, II.


The responsibility for providing
nursery schools, restaurants, in
flrmaries and recreation space and
programs will be assumed by Federal
Public Housing Authority in all it's
war housing projects where such
facilities do not exist, FPHA Com
missioner Herbert Emmerich an
nounced today.
Mr.. Emmerichs policy statement
said that in isolated areas and over
crowded communities where many
war housing projects are being de-
veloped, certain facli.ties and serv-
Ices normally available in established
communities are lacking" Such
services, he adds, are essential to the
occupants of these war housing
projects.
Providing 2O5, 900 Units.
Under its present program, FPHA
is constructing or has already COM
pleted 205, 900 units for war workers
in all war areas of the Nation. In
all three types of housing going up,
family dwellings, war apartments for
childless couples and dormitories for
single workers; facilities for eating,
health protecting, recreation, safety
and education are necessities, Mr..
Emmerich said.
Too often, he stated, war area
facilities already are overburdened
and in isolated war plant areas,
facilities "just do not exist" The
FPHA will step in only if communi-
ties cannot handle the problems
alone.
Howard White, director of FPHA
community services, said that every
attempt is made to tie in tenants
and their activities with the normal
life OF the community. FPHA has
agreements with 40 private and
public organizations and agencies,
such as the American Association
OF University Women and Federal
Works Agency, that they will CO.
operate in this effort.
Gives Figures.
Mr.. White gave nursery schools as
an example of the FPHA field policy
A survey of $4,000 dwelling units of
war housing projects showed that
OF the total child population from
z to 19 years Of age, 81 per cent
consists of children under 5. FPHA
estimates that for 100 dwelling
units there will be rs children under
5. and on the present estimate of
working women, 20 per cent or Is
out of those rs children will need
nursery schools. Most housing prof.
ectS have more than 1000 units so
that at least $50 children in the
project would need care.
If there are no facilities in the CITY
or town, FPHA will advise communi-
ties to apply for Lanham Act funds.
Local boards Of education can get
these funds to build nursery school
space as part of new schools going
up IN war areas, he added.
A guiding policy of all F'PHA COM
munity services, whether they be
nursery schools or recreation halls,
is that they serve the people of the
community as well as tenants of the
project.
Other Problems.
Child care is leading problem in
the family dwelling units. In the
dormitory compounds, consisting
OF single workers and couples in war
apartments, adequate eating facili-
ties are needed.
Dormitory rooms have no kitchens,
and war apartments have only hot
plates, so that common cafeterias
must be provided. This is being
done at Wilmington, N. c.; Norfolk,
Va; Seneca, ILL.,, and in Washing
ton State and Oregon where giant
housing projects are going up.
Every attempt is made to provide
IN large scale centers functions such
as care of the sick. cooking, and rec
reation, that formerly took place in
larger homes.