Evening star., 1945-01-19
Housing Group
BacksCapper
NCHA Measure
McCorrun BILLS
Opposed by Group
In Its Present Form

Opposing the McCarran bill for
slum clearance and rehousing in its
present form, which would abolish
the National Capital Housing Au-
thority, the Washington Housing
Association has approved the Cap
per bill, which would continue the
NCHA.
Writing to Senator McCarran and
to Chairman Bilbo of the Senate
District Committee, j. Bernard
Wyckoff, president of the associa-
>tion, declared that, while it ap-
proved the major objective" of the
McCarran bill, I'VE regret that we
cannot support it in its present
form"
A resolution adopted by the asso-
citation gave several reasons for its
opposition to the McCarran bill.
1t objected to proposed establish
ment of new agency-the District
housing and redevelopment agency
because the bill would combine in
this new agency two functions, the
acquisition and disposition of land
and the construction and manage
ment of public housing, which the
association termed adminiStratiyely
unsound"
Financing Termed Inadequate.
The financial provisions of the
bill were held to be inadequate and
do not insure the solvency of the
agency"
Elimination of the NCHA was de-
clared to be "inadvisable" The Nc
Carran bill was charged with carry
ing no provision for continuous
planning. and the high salaries of
members of the Board of Directors
OF the new agency to be set up
make for unnecessarily large ad-
ministrative expense"
Requirements of the bill respect
ing covenants were said to be de
sirable,'' as they ARE difficult to en-
force and do not lend themselvs
to notifications in light of changed
conditions"
Restrictions Criticized.
ut is inadvisable to set specific
rents and income restrictions" de-
clared the resolution, such as $40
rent and $500 income in any bill
for the definition of loW-rent
housing.
On the other hand, the associa-
ton listed reasons for support of
the Capper bill, which would con-
tinue the National Capital Housing
Authority.
The Capper bill, said the resolu-
ton, provides an opportunity for
private enterprise to do all it can
without extravagant subsidies. 1t
meets a known need for slum recla-
nation on planned basis. in &C
cordance with the overall National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission program for the develop
ment of the District"
The Capper measure was ap-
proved for establishing a "disinter-
ested agency to acquire and sell real
estate in accordance with plans rec
commended to the planning commits
sion and approved by the District)
Commissioners after public hearing"
Benefit to Large Families.
Furthermore, it was pointed out,
this measure provides that such an
agency as NCHA may participate in
the redevelopment of areas where
private operators cannot meet the
established requirements"
ut gives assurance" continued the
resolution that proper quota of
low-cost and low-rent housing will
be provided for low-income families,
especially for large families.
When supplemented by appro-
priations for the NCHA it will not
involve great increases in rent sub
sides, unpredictable in amount,
which tend to perpetuate the slums
that this legislation was intended to
destroy"
The Capper bill has been known
generally as the urban redevelop-
ment bill.