Evening star., 1944-01-28

Senote Probe Hears
Only so Of 4, 900
Families Are Tenonts
Disclosure that only go Of the
approximately 1000 families on Dis
trict Board of Public Welfare relief
rolls are tenants of public low-rent
housing developments high lighted
the housing hearings today before .
Senate District Subcommittee.
This testimony, from Ray HUH,
director Of the Board of Public We'll
fare, drew comment from Chairman
Burton of the subcommittee. Sena-
tor Burton said he was disturbed to
learn that so few families on relief
were receiving benefit from the
public low-cost. housing that has
already been built here.
The testimony also provoked q
skirmish between advocates and op-
ponents of the public housing pro-
gram.
John Ihlder. executive officer Of
the National Capital Housing Au-
thority, explained that at a confer
ence with welfare groups it was de-
cided that no more than Is per cent
OF the occupants of any NCHA de-
velopment should be relief clients.
Would Encourage" Families.
Filling property with relief
families would make a poorhouse
out Of it," Mr.. Ihlder said. I'VE try
to provide the kind of environment
that will encourage these relief
families to improve their position"
Before the war, 20 to Is per cent
OF the NCHA tenants were families
on relief rolls. The number now
has dropped to only about 3 per
cent, Mr. Ihlder said.
Mr.. Ihlder's figures included
tenants receiving any form of public
assistance, whether from the Dis
trict Public Welfare Board or other
sources.
In addition to Mr.. HUFF. wit
nesses at today's hearing included
Miss Patricia Morss, director of
children's services for the Public
Welfare Board, and Miss Doris
wilkins. social consultant at the
Landlord and Tenant Court.
The hearing was marked by fire.
quent questioning of the witnesses
by James c. Wilkes, an attorney for
the Washington Home Builders As
sociation, and others in the audi.
ence.
Builders Favor Slum Action.
1t also was high lighted by an
assertion from Mr.. Wilkes that the
home builders subscribe 100 per
cent to the proposition that slums
should be done away with" Mr..
Wilkes said that there should be
aggressive handling of the slum
problem"
The critical shortage of low-rent
housing in the District has resulted
in many relief families paying ''un-
duly high" rent for slum dwellings
Mr.. Huff testified. He told the
Subcommittee that additional low
rent housing definitely is needed, 81
and that he would be in favor of a
program of slum clearance, but
that substitute housing should be
constructed before the present
dwellings are torn down.
Mr.. HUFF said he thought as much
Of the necessary additional housing
as possible should be constructed by
private builders. The answer to the
public VS.. private housing contro-
versy might be to have private build
ers indicate how much low-rent
housing they were prepared to build
and give them time limit in which
to built it. Public housing then could
be constructed to fill the needs not
met by the private builders, Mr..
HUFF suggested.
Huff Urges Planning Now.
Mr.. Huff urged that some start
be made on a low-rent housing pro-
gram, and suggested that 1t would
be wise to define gradual program,
calling for certain number of hous-
Ing units each year-some private
and others publicly financed.
Mr.. Ihlder interrupted to point
out. That's just what the Housing
Authority is proposing"
Miss Morss told the subcommittee
that juvenile delinquency is most
prevalent in slum areas. She also
urged that some type of housing
program be undertaken. Miss VIII
kins called attention to the critical
shortage Of housing for low-income
families, particularly colored groups
The hearings will be resumed al
10 am. Monday, with Mr.. Ihlder a.
the first witness. Today's session
marked the first appearance of SEN
ator Tydings, Democrat, OF Mary
land, who joined Senator Burton
and Senator Capper, Republican, OF
Kansas, in hearing the testimony,