Evening star., 1945-01-18
Grant Offers Plans
For Improvement
OF Blighted Areas

A DrOad program OF redeVelOp-
ment of blighted areas of American
cities and towns, which would have
the benefit of Federal planning serv-
I ice advice and financial aid was
proposed to a Senate subcommittee
yesterday by Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant,
Sd, chairman of the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commission.
Speaking as vice president of the
American Planning and Civic Asso-
citation. Gen. Grant told the Hous-
ing Subcommittee of the Postwar
Economy Policy Committee that it
was estimated 100000 to 25.000,-
900 persons live in blighted dis
| tricts."
He suggested the creation of an
overall Federal planning agency to
encourage and air urban commun-
tiles in redevelopment of 'decayed"
areas. Such projects. he said. would
offer great employment opportun-
! tiles.
d. c. Not Discussed.
While the Districts slum clear
ance and rehousing program was not
discussed, the planning agency Gen.
Grant heads is one of the sponsors
of bill now before Congress calling
for redevelopment of Washington's
blighted areas.
Gen. Grant declared piece meal
rebuilding by either public or private
agencies would not change the char
acter of blighted area sufficiently
to warrant the costs. Proposing the
use of Government condemnation
power to obtain large areas for plan
ned redevelopment, Gen. Grant said,
I'VE must look to the United States
for credits and perhaps for grants
in aid" to assure substantial accom-
plShment.
Senator Taft, Republican, of
Ohio, who conducted the hearing,
with Senator Ellender, Democrat,
of Louisiana, and Buck, Republican,
of Delaware, asked why the United
States should provide the financial
aid. The witness cited charter lin
its on city financing, but Senator
Taft, in turn, called attention to the
size of the Federal debt. The Ohio
Senator, however, added that he
was in favor of Federal assistance
so far as slum clearance was con-
cerned.
Explains ID. C. Needs.
Gen. Grant later explained that
at least the local agencies would
need Federal assistance in the form
of a write down" of the cost of
the sites for the rebuilding.
Among recommendations submit
ted by Gen. Grant were: That all
housing credits be handled in the
postwar era by one Federal agency,
and he suggested it be the National
Housing Agency; that the 100000
temporary wartime housing units be
not continued on permanent Fed
Ieral basis, but that all should not
be put on the market at the same
time; that some be offered to local
agencies for use as low cost hous-
ing; and that future Government
activities should be such as to foster
a revival of the private building in
dustry.
Proposes Farm Aid.
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard
recommended postwar housing
program for farm families based on
extension of credit aids. He said
any use of subsidies should be
temporary"
specialized credit designed spe-
ciflcally to meet their requirements
is the general need of the families
who own their farms and have the
financial base to support adequate
housing" he told the subcommittee.
The Agriculture Secretary pro-
posed that the committee consider:
Modifying some present limita-
tions on loans of agencies of the
Farm Credit Administration to
make them more readily available
for construction and repair on farm
buildings.
The principle of a flexible repay
ment schedule in accordance with
the annual size of farm income.
The possibilities of Government
insurance of mortgage loans for
farm housing ION the large scale on
which it has been applied to city
housing"
Secretary Wickard said there are
6,500,000 farm dwellings. Only g.
100000 can be considered fairly
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