Evening star., 1944-04-16
|hIder Denies Offer
To Aid Hotel Project
Means Compromise
Builders Attorney Says
Proposal Shows NCHA
Is Booking Down

The National Capital Housing Au-
thority's offer to aid private build
ers In hotel project to replace
existing alley slums near Union Sta
ton does not represent an attempt
TO acompfcn1ise with builders who
have opposed the NCHAs slum-
reclamation proposals, John Ihlder,
executive officer of the agency, said
last night.
Earlier in the day, James c..
Wilkes, attorney for the Washing
ton Home Builders Association, had
interpreted the offer as an indi-
cation that the NCHA "is backing
down" In the controversy over
whether private interests or a public
housing agency shall build the re-
placement housing needed for rec
lamation of the Districts slums.
This is the first time that NCHA
has made a tangible and concrete
offer OF this kind" Mr.. Wilkes said
1T means that the private builders
and the advocates of public housing
are approaching the solution to the
problem from the same point of
view. The private builders only re-
Gently suggested to Senator Burton's
committee that Government
agency be established to exercise the
power Of eminent domain in ac-
quirlng land in slum and blighted
areas, clear it and sell it to private
enterprise, which would build and
manage low-rental housing to serve
the needs of the people now living
IN inadequate and substandard
housing"
Will Comment Further.
Mr.. Wilkes said he planned to
comment further on the offer when
the subcommittee resumes hearings
at 10 am. tomorrow.
Mr.. Ihlder said, however, that
ever since the NCHA began slum
reclamation here 10 years ago II
has encouraged private builders to
take over and redevelop slum areas
condemned and cleared by the
agency. In at least two instances
private builders have bought former
slum areas from the NCHA and
have used these as sites for new
housing, he said.
The proposed hotel project, which
would be located in square 628,
bounded by North Capitol street,
New Jersey avenue and E and F
streets, was suggested by James
Ring, NCHA administrative officer,
in testimony yesterday before the
Senate subcommittee studying hous-
! ing conditions here.
Mr.. Ring said he thought recla-
nation of this inhabited alley would
be very good project for some
private builder" The location of
the square makes it suitable as a
hotel site, and hotel development
should pay enough so that the
builder could absorb the cost of the
existing alley-slum houses" he told
the subcommittee.
NCHA Willing to Aid Builders.
The NCHA is willing to aid pri-
vate builders in the project, he said.
He suggested that if the agency
were provided with adequate funds
under Title l of the Alley Dwelling
Act, 1t could use its power of con-
demnation to acquire and assemble
the alley-slum properties. The
agency then would clear the slum
dwellings and sell the assembled
land to private builders for rede-
velopment.
Mr.. Ihlder said the NCHA made
the suggestion because the area is
unsuited for redevelopment with
low-rent housing. The difficulties
involved in buying up the small
parcels OF land in the square, which
are owned by numerous indi-
viduals, have kept private builders
from attempting a hotel develop
ment on the site before now, he
said.
Other witnesses before the sub
committee yesterday, as the hearings
moved into what may be their final