Evening star., 1944-03-10
DIR. Harris Asks
Full Shake-up
In NCHA Now
Civic Leader Sees
Need for Change
To Aid CoIored

~ Nt0 SOlOICO
DR.. Edward F. Harris, president OF
the Federation Of Civic Associations.
declaring a public housing program
is needed here, today called for a
complete reorganization of the Ma
tional Capital Housing Authority
and a change in it's policies.
Testifying before the Senate Dis
trict Subcommittee studying hous-
ing conditions. DR.. Harris proposed
that the NCHA be replaced by a
housing board appointed by and
under jurisdiction of the Commits
sioners. This board should include
a representative of the colored popu-
lation, he said. He also recon-
mended that all the present admin
istrative. officers of the Housing
Authority be replaced.
A public housing program to re-
place the slums is needed here be-
cause private builders in recent
years have not been building ade-
quately for colored renters, DR.. Har-
ris said. He added, however, that
the Federation of Civic Associations
and the Lincoln Civic Association.
which he also heads, strongly dis
approve the manner in which the
public housing program has been
carried out.
In retaining the slums, the
Housing Authority has acquired
more homes from colored families
than 1t has provided with new dwell
ings, he told the subcommittee. Ap-
proximately 5000 Negro homes were
demolished up to the beginning of
the war emergency, while the Hous-
Ing Authority constructed only 90
new single-family units for Negroes,
he charged.
Colored Homes DESTROYED.
Some dwellings occupied by coi-
ored families, he said, were torn
down to make way for Government
buildings. In other cases CONNER
cial buildings or housing Develop
ments for white occupancy were
built by the NCHA to replace slum
housing that had been occupied by
Negroes, he charged.
Reorganization of the NCHA also
was approved by DR.. C. Herbert
Marshall, physician, of 2712 p
street NV. DR.. Marshall, a mem
Der OF the District branch of the
National Association for Advance
ment of Colored People, said the au-
thority should be revamped so as to
give 1t more of local character
and reasonable and fair Negro rep
resentation. He attacked the NCHA
Tor what he said was a tendency to
move Negro families to outlying sec.
tions.
Wants Public Housing Program.
DR.. Marshall emphasized, however.
that he is in favor of a public hous-
ing program. Private builders have
tailed to do satisfactory job Of
providing housing for low-income
groups, and private enterprise here
is mot big enough" to handle the
entire slums reclamation program
that Is needed, he said.
Other witnesses today included
MRS. Mary Wright johnson, chair
man OF the Legislative Committee
OF the Federation of Women's Clubs.
and Mrs. Leslie S. Wright of the
Northwest Citizens Council. Both
Mrs. johnson and Mrs. Wright said
public housing should be halted and
that private builders should be
given the task of constructing the
housing necessary for slum reclama-
tion.
Mrs. johnson indorsed the report
10 the Federation of Citizens Asso-
clatlonS, which called for abolition
OF the NCHA. She said public hous-
ing Is costly to taxpayers and re-
suits In the regimentation of prop
erty and people.
Thomas c. R. Gray, president of
the East Central Civic Association.
read a resolution from the associa-
tlon complaining about slum condi-
lions in the east central section.
Siums should be cleared and re-
placed by decent housing, regardless
OF whether private builders or the
NCHA does the work, he said.
Dr. Harris cited the example of
Navy place in Southeast Washing.
ton, where Negroes had predon-
mated for more than rs years. Resi-
oents OF the area were forced to
vacate and no consideration was
gwen to rehousing them, he said.
one family of two women and a To-
year-old child was forced to seek
shelter in cellar, he told the sub-
committee.
AT Twenty-third and G streets
NV. the housing authority acolirad
~ houses in Negro neighborhood
and, after razing the buildings, sold
the land to George Washington
University. This made many Negro
FAMILIES homeless and was an abuse
OF the Governments power of con-
oemnatlon, DR.. Harris said.
He complained also about the
construction of Jefferson Terrace. a
60-unlt apartment for white fami-
lies in Lider court, to replace houses
that were available for Negro oc-
cupancy.
Ihlder Reserves Reply.
John Ihlder, executive officer of
the NCHA, reserved his reply to DR.,
harris charges until later in the
hearings. He told reporters, how
ever, that while the NCHA acquired
more dwellings from colored fami-
lies than it has provided for them
under Its Title No. l slum -reclama-
ton program, the agency has built
2,l63 units for colored families
under Title 2. All of this is low-rent
housing, he pointed out. Only SAB
units for whites have been con-
structed under Title 2.
DR.. Harris called attention to the
critical shortage of housing for Ne
gro families here, but rejected a.
suggestion that the NCHA's 5OO-unit
Lily Ponds housing development be
converted to Negro occupancy. The
suggestion was made last week >by
Joseph H. Deckman, representing