Evening star., 1943-04-16
|h|der Demands
D. {. S|um Area
Conversion Now
ADA Head Opposes
Planners Idea of
Postwar Objective

Redevelopment of Washington's
blighted areas should be undertaken
now and conducted continuously
during the war, John Ihlder, execu-
tive officer of the Alley Dwelling All
thority, told Federal planners today
in countering suggestions that it be
made a postwar objective.
While entirely sympathetic with a
proposal to draw up a master plar
for the whole Washington metro
politan region, Mr.. Ihlder said there
was an urgent need during the wal
to convert these blighted areas tc
sanitary housing and non-ha bita-
tion uses for the betterment of the
community
Given the needed appropriat tions
he said. the ADA could make a gooG
start on such a program now.
No Action Taken.
Meeting with Alfred Bettman, ar
expert on urban rehabilitation, tht
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission explored many phase!
of postwar development and appar.
emily agreed with suggestion from
Cincinnati. park official that il
is the logical agent to supervise such
planning in the Washington area.
No action of any kind was taken a.
the meeting, which will continue
until the April session closes late
today.
Mr.. Bettman said that six State:
already have passed laws empower.
ing city governments to condemn
slum areas and other States are
planning such legislation.
"Blighted" areas include slum dis
tricts, Mr.. Bettman said. and terri
tory used for purposes in addition
to habitation, such as Warehousine
and other commercial uses, anc
especially areas which have a mix
ture of uses.
"In the case of housing itself" he
explained, 'redevelopment planning
does not start with an assumption
that the future housing is to be
either exclusively or predominantly
for low income classes. So. in g
general way it may be said that
urban redevelopment is the replan-
ming and rebuilding of the blightec
portions of urban areas for such
uses as the replanning may demon
strate to be appropriated
Fits ADA Program.
That definition fits the purposes
of the dual program authorized by
Congress for the ADA. 1t was the
general view that Mr.. Ihlder's
agency should be the one to do the
rehabilitation should such pro-
gram be undertaken.
Under its grant of powers the ADJ
not only can buy and condemn lane
for slum reclamation. but it alst
can go into vacant areas and erect
housing for families of low income
That latter phase of its program i:
carried out through loans and grant.
from the United States Housing
Authority, of which the ADA is the
local agent.
Mr.. Ihlder said he believed some
additional amendments might bt
necessary before the ADA could I'm.
dertake all the broad proposals in.
volved in a basic scheme for urbar
rehabilitation, such as is being con-
sidered.
Congress has cut off his appro.
priations and the present ADA pro.
gram has now a revolving fund O.
only about $4,000 to carry on it,
reclamation of alleys This fund i!
supported in part from rents from
its various housing projects.
Meanwhile, progress" was re-
ported in negotiations for the en-
largement of Arlington Nationa
Cemetery and postwar uses to be
made of Fort Washington. These
were matters which first came up 8
month ago.
"Impressed' on Housing Tour.
Members Of the commission were
very favorably impressed" with 6
number of new developments in the
vicinity of Alexandria and the
Pentagon Building which they in
spected yesterday afternoon. Two Of
the projects, housing development,
for Pentagon workers, are said to be
the largest in this area.
The commission has agreed, 1t was
reported, to work out a master plar
for the Army and the Nationa
Park Service looking to a permanent
division of the 400 acres of the Fort
Washington reservation. A. E
Demaray. acting executive Officer
for the commission, has been in con.
ferences with Brig Gen. Herbert G.
Holdridge, commanding officer o.
the fort.
The problem is complicated be.
cause the Army is planning to main.
tain a permanent Adjutant Gen.
erals School on the reservation. Tht
school now occupies one half of thu
whole area, but the old installation!
OF Fort Washington are not in use
Barracks to Be Shifted.
The National Park Service own
the reservation and wishes to pre-
serve the fort as an historic shrine
since it is located at the Maryland
terminus of the Fort drive. Mr.
Demaray reported that several bar,
racks now on the property will b,
moved after the war to the ares
occupied by the Adjutant General
School.
While in the Pentagon area tn,
commission inspected the nev
Henry G. Shirley Parkway nov
under construction between the Wa
building and Fort Belvoir. Th
two housing projects are located OF
} the route.
III II NJ \A/.