Evening star., 1944-08-29
low-Cost Housing
Attacked as Dole
By Hebert at Hearing
Criticism Brings Spirited
Debate With IhIder
On Merits Of Program
Rx noN G wApprH
BY DON S. WARREN.

"A charge LI1dC lOW-COSC nous
ing constitutes a perpetual
dole" to tenants who are not
forced to pay rents commensu-
rate with their incomes was
made today before a House Dis
trict Subcommittee by Repre-
sentative Hebert, Democrat, of
Louisiana.
His statement during public
hearing on proposals for Washing
toms future slum clearance and re-
housing programs, provoked q
spirited debate with John Ihlder, ex-
ecutive officer of the National Capt.
tai Housing Authority, principal
witness, who defended NCHA's ECO
nomic" rents.
Mr.. Ihlder explained that the
NCHA program calls for the grad
uation" of low-cost housing tenants
into higher-priced. privately-pro-
duced housing when the tenants in
come warrants, but that such trans
fers had been sharply limited by the
wartime housing shortage in this
area.
Similar to Unemployment Plan.
At one point Mr. Hebert con-
tended that while there was need
for low-cost housing, the program
appeared to operate too much like
the Murray -Kilgore postwar plan
for unemployment insurance, which
he characterized as method to
put everybody on a dole"
Taking direct issue with Mr..
Ihlder's argument that NCHA's ten
ants with improved incomes were
not graduated only because Of
a private housing shortage, Mr..
Hebert demanded to know why,
in that case, rents of such tenants
were not increased.
Mr.. Ihlder replied that they were,
up to the maximum of the ECO
nomic rent" scale, calculated to
cover actual costs, but not to any
higher level because that would
take us into the profit making
field" He added that the Gov
eminent should not get into the
proflt-making field.
Nonprofit Idea Questioned.
Mr.. Hebert then wanted to know
why a public housing agency should
not make a profit" under such cir
cumstances.
Aren't you saving the money of
the taxpayers when you raise rents
to the highest level the circum-
stances warrant?" he asked.
That is the private builders
field" Mr.. 1hlder replied.
why should you not make a
profit for the taxpayers?" Mr.. Hebert
persisted.
IF you can amortize the cost of
your housing project earlier than
expected bv this means. why not?"
Answering his own question, he
contended that public housing au-
thorities do not raise rents above
the economic rent" level as the
tenants income increases because
you do not want to get them out"
Some Tenants Graduated"
Mr.. 1hlder answered that some
of the NCHA tenants had been
graduated" but that while data
had been compiled on this point he
did not have the figures with him.
Mr.. Hebert's attack was inspired
by a charge, given earlier in the
session by Mr.. Ihlder, that private
builders refused responsibility" for
the necessary construction of tenn
porary war housing for this area.
When Mr.. Hebert challenged this
statement, Mr.. Ihlder said he was
quoting from testimony given
months ago by a national builders
spokesman on Washington's slum
clearance bills. In the windup of
this exchange Mr.. Ihlder agreed
that private operators had built
temporary war housing for public
agencies having such projects in
charge.
At the outset of today's session,
which was conducted by Represent
ative Abernethy, Democrat, of Mis-
sissippi, In the absence of Chairman
McGehee of the Judiciary Subcom-
mittee Of the House District Com
mittee, Mr.. Ihlder gave . resume Of
his arguments against the free en-
(See HOUSING, Page A-5)