Evening star., 1944-04-14
NCHA Housing
benefitsDistrict
Senators Told
Private Builders
Criticized by
Agency Official

The National Capital Housing Au-
thority feels that by carefully plan
ming its low-rent housing develop
ments here it has contributed
largely toward raising the living
standards of small-income families
and greatly benefited the city in
general" Bernard E. Loshbough,
planning and construction official
for the agency. today told the Sen
ate subcommittee studying District
housing conditions.
In contrast, Mr.. Loshbough said
private builders in many cases have
paid little or no attention to the
human side of the problem" and
have constructed housing designed
only to meet the minimum require
ments imposed by District law.
IT private enterprise is given the
job of retaining the Districts
slums. he continued, there must be
definite assurance that the replace
ment housing will be developed in
the interest of the people whose
needs the builders propose to meet -
Needs Outlined.
An. adequate supply of we'll
planned two, three and four bedroom
dwelling units is one need that must
be met, Mr.. Loshbough said, point
ing out there is a shortage of this
type of housing because speculative
private builders in the past have
found it more profitable to concen-
trate on one and two bedroom units.
Mr.. Loshbough stressed the i'm
portance of proper planning. Clear
ing and rebuilding the blighted areas
is far more than just brick and
mortor job" he said. Before proper
housing can be provided an inter-
sive and careful period of planning
must take place"
Mr.. Loshbough defended the
NCHA's planning costs against the
private builders contention that
they have been excessive.
Plans for good housing do not
come wrapped up in a $25 set of
blueprints," he told the subcom-
mittee.
More Comparisons Offered.
The NCHA official also continued
the testimony he began Wednesday
In comparison of private and public
housing costs. The private build
ers' claim that they could duplicate
the agency's housing developments
for rs to Al per cent less cost is not
based on fact, he contended.
Mr.. Loshbaugh presented figures
showing that there is a difference
of approximately 38 per cent be-
tween the "B" scale wages paid by
most speculative private builders
here and the "a" scale wages which
the NCHA is required by law to pay.
II private builders and the NCHA
paid the same wage rates, their con-
struction costs would be approx
mately the same, he contended
Slum Clearance Cited.
James Ring, administrative officer
OF the NCHA, reviewed the efforts
the agency has made during the last
10 years to clear the slums. Accom-
pllshments have been limited by a
lack of sufficient funds, but the
progress since 1884, when the NCHA
began slum reclamation, "is in strik-
ing contrast to the negative record
during all the years before" he said.
A total OF 27 former slum SQUARES
have been reclaimed, he said. On
19 of these squares, 1,l58 good
dwellings" have been constructed
and now house approximately $500
persons, including 1880 children.
Funds for slum reclamation have
been available under Title 2 of the
Alley Dwelling Act, but this money
cannot be used where cost of buy
ing the existing slum property ex-
ceeds $3.50 per square foot. This
limitation has prevented use of Title
2 funds in reclaiming most of the
worst slum areas, he said. In order
to reclaim these worst areas" he
told the subcommittee, the Housing
Authority needs an additional ap-
preparation under Title l of the act.