Evening star., 1944-07-30
Letters Revive
Public Housing
Dispute Here
Gen. Grunt Corrects
Impression He Might
, Favor Moratorium

ONVI IVtOJONVIIu
Fresh fuel was added to the re.
vived public housing dispute yester-
day when H. c. Hines, executive
director of the Home Builders Asso-
citation Of Metropolitan Washington
made public an exchange of letters
between himself and Maj. Gen. U. s
Grant III, chairman of the Park
and Planning Commission.
The correspondence followed q
conversation between the two, dur
ing which Mr.. Hines said he put
the following question to Gen
Grant.
Now that the home builders have
offered to clear the slums with pri-
vate capital and to pay full taxes
why not accept the challenge and
make the ground available, and give
them five years in which to make
this demonstrations"
In his letter, Mr.. Hines declared
Gen. Grant left him with the def
mite impression that you were really
sincere about being willing to give
the home builders a moratorium on
public housing for five year Pc
riod."
Fears Wrong Impression.
Gen. Grant said yesterday, how
ever, that the conversation was in
terrupted before he had completed
his thought, and that he wrote tc
Mr.. Hines to correct any erroneous
impression he might have given
His letter in part follows:
In thinking over our discussion
Of last night, I realize my reply Il
your chief question was never com
pleted and that, in my desire to bt
open minded and conciliatory.
may have left somewhat errone
Gus impression ON your mind ane
in the minds of the others present
After full consideration. I an
constrained to answer your chic
question by a "No." I do not be-
lieve that the Planning Commission
would consent to legislation which
would do away with public housing
or prevent the use OF existing pub.
lie housing agencies and assistance
to perform that part Of the ta!sl
that is necessary and private en-
teprise will not undertake.
The public-housing program ha
been authorized by law, and th'
National Capital Housing Authorit,
is an agency established by Law
which has accomplished practical
results. I know the members of th'
commission feel that this urban re-
development legislation is not ;
proper place in which to change th'
Federal Governments housing pro-
gram established by other basi'
legislation. Moreover, I think tbs
majority of the commission fee
that the District of Columbia shoulc
retain the right to use any help Of
fered by the Federal Government
when necessary in the manner mos
favorable to the local community.
Suggests Conference.
Gen. Grants letter then state.
that he wanted to make every effor
possible Ito achieve united from
in regard to this legislation" ane
that he would like to arrange for &
committee of the Home Builders
Association to discuss the matter a
the Park and Planning Commits
sion's meeting next Thursday anc
Friday.
He added, while I believe sin
cerely that private enterprise car
do most of this job and should dc
it, I do not see any justification
for abandoning at this time the
agency that has been set up to dc
it, insofar as private capital and
private builders are not ready tc
do it in the future and find other
more lucrative fields for their en-
deavor"
In his reply, Mr.. Hines said he
did not think Gen. Grant was JUS
tilted in stating that private en-
terprise will not undertake the task
when it was in the records of the
Burton Senate subcommittee that
54 home-builders, representing 8
responsibility of more than $4,000,
900, have subscribed to and offered
to clear and rebuild $4,000 alley
dwelling slums under the Tydings
bill"
The latter bill is sponsored by
the builders as their solution to the
housing problem.
Mr.. Hines letter said the builders
agreed that members of the Plan
ming Commission would feel that
the urban redevelopment legisla.
ton was not proper place in which
to change the Federal Government {
housing program, and that the
builders believed your urban re.
development plan should be EN-.
bodied in separate bill and the
merits discussed on the value OF
rehabilitation, rather than involve
and subjugate what the citizens o1
Washington are presently discuss.
ing-namely, the clearing of the
slums and inhabited alleys"
NCHA Results Doubted.
Mr.. Hines letter said he did moi
agree that the NCHA had accom-
plished practical results. 1t said he
recogized it las a part of a social
lied, political program for taxing
spending and ruling a destitute seq
ment of our population.
The letter went on to say thai
rehabilitation of the personal and
physical condition of slum dwellers
was necessary before better hous-
ing, and that once this had been
accomplished people in this cate
CORY would be unwilling to accept
slum living conditions. This work,
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