Evening star., 1944-06-02
Ih|der Issues
New Challenge
On Rehousiinq
Tells Private Firms
To Go Ahead and
Use Priorities
BY DON S. WARREN.

the National Capital Housing Au-
thority which is fighting the efforts
of private industry to keep it out of
the future slum rehousing work,
today renewed his challenge to the
industry to go ahead and build
under priorities it now holds-"if
they can build cheaper and better"
Testifying before another session
of the McGehee Subcommitte of
the House, which was conducted by
Representative Russell, Democrat. of
Texas, Mr. Ihlder characterized
testimony by spokesmen for the
Metropolitan Home Builders Asso-
citation as "dreamlike" and asserted
that when appearing before the
Burton Subcommittee of the Senate
they had disclosed their confu-
sion"
He added that in their testimony
before the McGehee Subcommittee
1T seems unreal to hear the ex-
ploded myths repeated.
afraid to Meet Test"
Declaring that-in refusing (in the
Senate hearings) to accept an NCHA
challenge to test comparative costs
in an actual project construction
Mr.. 1hlder said the private builders
had demonstrated they were afraid
to meet the test"
The NCHA is urging the private
builders to build on vacant land a
greater number of moderate rental
houses, in the $35 and $40 rental
bracket" Mr.. Ihlder told the SUBJ
committee. The builders say thew
can do this on cleared slum sites
sites which even at the bargain
prices they ask will cost them more
than the vacant land sites available
to them.
If they can build cheaper and
rent cheaper than NCHA, WHY do
they not do it with the 5000 priori-
ties they now hold? This is an on
portunity for them to demonstrate
instead of making promises. Having
tailed to make good their local
claims they now, apparently, wish a
change of venue to the country as
whole"
Inc latter was in reference to the
declaration yesterday by Rufus S.
LuSk, president of the Washington
taxpayers Association, that the
SUM tight here really was a ma
tlonal issue as to whether the Gov
ernment should take over rehousing
work on national scale.
No Conflict in Manhattan.
Representative Baldwin, Republi-
can, of New York, member of the
subcommittee, interjected during
the Ihlder testimony that in New
York City there was no conflict be-
tween private and public builders
over SUM rehousing. There, he said.
private industry recognized that in
the low rental field, they cannot
make profit and do not seek to
compete with Government agency
work. ~
The basis of Mr.. Ihlders arguments
To-Day was that rs per cent of the
families in "blighted areas" pay less
IMAM S35 month rent, whereas in
the nve-year period ended with 1910
only So per cent of the privately
built housing here had rents within
reach of this low rent field.
Mr.. Baldwin broke in to ask Mr.
lhlder if the NCHA graduated" its
tenants from subsidized graded
rents" when their incomes in
creased to point where they coulo
afford to pay full rentals. Mr.
lhlder assured him it did. The tes.
was when private housing was
available at rentals amounting te
no more than one-quarter of the
family income, he added. The
trouble is that today there are nc
such housing units available, Mr.
Ihlder declared.
Questioned about a taxi driver
living in an NCHA housing unit
Mr.. 1hlder explained that some tax
drivers were accepted as tenants
when they were not making the
better incomes they receive today
but that in the case mentioned the
taxi driver now was paying full
rental. The same explanation was
offered as to why some NCHA ten
ants can afford telephones.
See Need to Replace 10000.
Mr.. Ihlder estimated that "a
/ least 10000 "substandard" dwelling
in the District should be replaced.
Answering another question relat
ing to the subsidized operations O
the NCHA, Mr.. Ihlder declared thu
agency had the intent" of payins
back with interest the appropriation.
for the elimination of alley dwell
ingS.
| Miss Harlean James, representing
the American Planning and Civic
Association, filed with the committe,
for her organization a statement ap
proving the Capper- Randolph "ur
ban redevelopment" bill and declar
ing that public housing is neces
sary to take care of the lowest in
come families
Public instead Of private opera
ton is needed when public none
is needed to meet the difference be
| tween rentals charged by privat
enterprise and the ability of the in
dlvldual to pay, she said.
Mr.. Russell announced the hear
ings would be resumed at 10 am
TbpcIau