Evening star., 1944-05-16
SIum Clearance
|Par|eys Due 10
Resume Friday
Program Appears
Headed Toward
Legislative Action


gram today appeared to be headed
toward definite legislative proposals
toward the end of this week.
Chairman Burton of the housing
subcommittee of the Senate District
Committee planned to resume hear
ings before his group at 10 am. FRI
day in an attempt to solve the prob
lens involved.
Efforts to end the long pending
clash between advocates of private
housing and public housing were to
be resumed behind closed doors at
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission this afternoon.
This was an outgrowth of a similar
session last Friday, which virtually
agreed to disagree at the time, but
to prolong their efforts to reach
common ground.
Bill Before Bureau.
Meantime the proposed urban re-
development bill, sponsored by the
Planning Commission. and approved
by the District Commissioners was
before the Budget Bureau with
prospects of early action The bill
is broad in its scope providing for
elimination of blighted' areas, de-
molition of slums and redevelop-
ment by both public and private
builders.
While support is gathering behind
the proposal, there were indications
among private builders of stiff oppo-
sition, when, and if the measure
comes up for congressional commit
tee hearing.
Chairman Burton explained he
hoped to receive reports at the
hearing Friday on the negotiations
between private and public builders
which were to get under way again
today.
Moves For Extension.
Senator Burton said he had asked
corporation counsel Richmond B.
Keech and other District govern
ment spokesmen to be prepared to
recommend changes in the alley
dwelling law necessary for extension
of the present legal deadline Of
July /.
The Planning Commission has
suggested a five-year extension. The
National Capital Housing Authority
also has suggested extension, with
out fixing a date.
Chairman Burton had hoped It
would be possible to make definite
recommendation as to the future
rehousing program, when he asked
for the necessary delay in the ban
on alley dwellings. If necessary, he
said, he would present the extension
resolution with report of progress,
though apparently still hoping to be
able to file a construction" pro-
gram at the same time.
Taxpaying Property.
While all these developments were
underway there appeared two indi-
cations which may point the way to
returning some property in this city
to active taxpaying status. The re-
verse of this trend-taking property
off the tax rolls of the District gov-
ernment-has been one of trouble
some fiscal problems. Huge in
creases in purchase by the Federal
Government have taken many acres
away from District taxable land.
In the first place, sponsors of the
proposed urban development bill
point out that if it should be enacted
it might rehabilitate some so-called
blighted, or partially undeveloped
areas to the status where they
would return substantial real estate
taxes to the District government.
In another move yesterday two
Government agencies co-operated
with real estate broker in an
effort to find more sites for con-
struction of new homes for Negroes
in Washington. The need for more
Negro housing, both for rent and
for home ownership. has been
recognized as one of the principal
problems connected with elimina-
ton of the alleys.
Maps Are Displayed.
The conference took place at the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, where J. T.
Risher, the broker, conferred with
officials of both the commission
and the NCHA.
Spread out on big table before
them were large maps prepared by
the commission showing housing
developments of the past four years
and areas not yet developed. 1t
was explained that out of the 4,600
acres available for construction in
side the District, part of it was de-
voted to Negro occupants. Copies
OF the maps were made available to
Mr. Risher. The charts showed,
according to John Ihlder, executive
officer of NCHA, who participated
in the conference, that while there
had been sporadic" development in
some areas under consideration.
there were still great many
small pieces of land for building
and some considerable tracts"
Most of the undeveloped area
lies east of the AnacoStia River.
John Nolen, jr., director of PLAN
ming of the Planning Commission,
explained. To a great extent, he
said, water and sewer utilities are
available, and the streets are either
graded, If not paved.
| Reporting that DEVELOPMENTS
which he is sponsoring have proved
tax productive, Mr.. Risher said
$4,000 in back taxes had been paid
on land in Suburban Heights De-
velopment, in Northeast Washing
ton, where $50 houses for Negroes
are projected, with 36 now under
construction. Each of the houses
will pay about $50 year taxes to
the District, he said.
Suburban Gardens, Negro apart
ment house development nearby
Suburban Heights, he said, had been
assessed by the District at $3.50. 900,
on which the regular real estate tax
Of SITS per sl00 will be paid the
District government.
The conference, an outgroWth Of
the city-Wide housing conference
Saturday, was attended also by Gen.
Grant, Max S. Wehrly, city planner