Evening star., 1944-01-25
Housing
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housing
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reclamation If present overlapping
OF functions can be eliminated. The
Commissioner explained he feel,
functions Of the housing authority
overlap with some functions Of the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission.
I'VE need 4 little ironing out to
make things . little smoother and
make all the pieces it," Mr.. Young
maintained.
Col. Kutz was more emphatic In
urging an early beginning to the
proposed slum reclamation program
Sanitary conditions in the inhabited
alleys are very bad" although
sewer and water connections are
generally adequate, he pointed out
In urging that slum clearance
funds be provided Immediately, Col
Kutz said 1t would be up to the sub
committee to decide If part of the
cost should be charged against the
District government. Asked by Sem
ator Burton If he meant some Dis
trict funds should be used. Mr.. Kutz
replied that he thought slum clear
ance was q Legitimate municipal
function"
In answer to another question
from Senator Burton, Col. Kutz said
that II the District paid part of the
cost Of the proposed slum clearance
the NCHA should be placed under
the jurisdiction OF the District
Commissioners. At present, the
Authority, composed of the chair
man of the Board OF Commission
Iers. the architect of the Capitol and
the director of the Parks and Plan
ming Commission, is independent of
control by the District government
Commissioners Cross questioned.
Today's hearings were marked by
the cross-questioning OF both the
Commissioners by w. E. Mcdonald.
an attorney representing the WASH
ington Home Builders Association
Taxing up Mr.. Young's statement
that he favored private enterprise
doing As much Of the slum clear
ance work as possible, Mr.. Mcdonald
asked If he would approve turning
the entire Job over to private en-
terprise, If private builders could
show they were able and willing
to provide the necessary new
housing.
Mr.. Young replied that he has
favored private building from the
beginning" but thought there might
be cases where private builders,
without a subsidy OF some kind,
could not afford to provide housing
at rentals the present slum dwellers
would be able to pay.
Corporation Counsel Richmond
B. Keech told the subcommittee that
1t will be necessary for Congress to
pass \ new law If the proposed slum-
clearance program Is to extend to
slums that are not in or adjacent to
alleys. Existing laws are not ade-
quate to give the District power to
condemn these other slums, except
In unusual cases. Mr.. Keech said.
The corporation counsel pointed
out that after June 20 it win be
unlawful for any one in the Dis
trict to live in an alley. Steps will
be taken to change this law, how
ever, since the NCHA, formerly the
Alley Dwelling Authority. has not
been able to carry out its original
purpose of clearing the alley slums.
Testimony as to the effect of slums
IN increasing disease, sickness, i'm
morality, crime and fire hazards
was presented to the subcommittee
by DR.. George c. Rutland, District
health offlcer: Maj. Edward ]. Kelly
superintendent of police, and Fire
Marshal Raymond c. Roberts.
DR.. Rutland testified that the
slums breed disease The Is census
tracts which contain most of the
recognized slum areas contribute the
greatest number of both COM
municable and chronic diseases. In
addition, DR.. Rutland said, these
districts are the greatest source of
admissions to Gallinger Hospital.
Clearing the slums and providing
new housing for the present slum
dwellers will not correct this situa-
ton entirely, DR.. Ruhland main
tanned. There will be less tuberou-
losis and fewer contact diseases, such
as influenza, pneumonia and menin-
gifts, If the slums are cleared, DR..
Rutland said.
DR.. Ruhland took issue with the
report made last year by the House
District Subcommittee on Public
Health. which claimed that 50 per
cent of the District residents live in
slums. DR.. Rutland said the per-
centage is far smaller and that only
about 21s per cent-or 5,OOO-of the
dwelling units here are so badly
deteriorated that they are slums by
any definition.
Are Fire Hazards.
Maj. Kelly, after pointing out
crime is more prevalent in many OF
the recognized slum areas, agreed
that better housing might aid in
remedying some of the lawlessness
and delinquency.
Fire Marshal Roberts described
the Districts inhabited alleys as
added fire hazards" which present
unusual fire-t1ghting problems, but
said that generally he did not con-
slider them major hazard. He
pointed out that the District has
lower rate of fire losses than almost
any other large city.
The first witness at 10 am. Fri
day, when the hearings will be re-
sumed, will be Ray HUI, director OF
the Board of Public Welfare. Sem
ator Burton said Mr.. HUI probably
will be followed rs q witness by John
Ihlder, executive oncer of the Ma
tional Capital Housing Authority.
Mr.. Ihlder has proposed long
range public housing program, un-
der which approximately 10000
900 would be spent over 4 period OF
m vAArs Ia clAar the nasty.iek Sl,,usa~